+50 Syrians depart al-Hol camp under UN-backed return plan

Shafaq News – Damascus

The administration of al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria released on Sunday 12 Syrian families—comprising 55 individuals—in coordination with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

The release represents the third humanitarian group to leave the camp, with most families returning to their hometowns in Aleppo, Homs, Idlib, Damascus, Daraa, and Deir ez-Zor, according to a statement.

Sheikhmous Ahmed, co-chair of the Office for Displaced Persons and Refugees in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, described the move as part of the administration’s decision of December 23, 2025, which allows the voluntary return of displaced people to their areas of origin.

Ahmed also criticized what he called the “lack of response” from the Syrian government to repeated appeals from displaced families in al-Hol and other camps across the region, expressing hope that future efforts would bring greater cooperation.

Al-Hol once held nearly 70,000 people at the height of the fight against ISIS in 2019. As of January 2025, the camp hosts around 40,000 residents, including 16,000 Syrians, 17,600 Iraqis, and 6,400 third-country nationals.

Read more: Security vs. Humanity: Iraq's struggle with ISIS repatriation

In July, the camp administration released 36 Syrian families (127 individuals) in the second phase of humanitarian departures, most originating from Aleppo, Homs, and Raqqa.

Iraq, for its part, has repatriated 4,915 families—approximately 18,880 people—since launching its return program in 2021, according to official figures.