First official Damascus visit to al-Hol camp: Repatriation on agenda

Shafaq News/ A senior Syrian government delegation, joined by officials from the US-led Global Coalition, visited al-Hol camp in eastern al-Hasakah province on Saturday to assess conditions and discuss options for the return of displaced Syrians.

A camp official told Shafaq News the delegation included senior figures from Syria’s Interior and Foreign Ministries, as well as intelligence and counterterrorism units, marking the first formal visit by Damascus officials to a displacement camp under SDF control.

The visit, reportedly included a closed-door meeting with representatives from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and Coalition envoys, focused on expediting the repatriation process to ease pressure on the camp and gradually reduce its population.

Additional talks are expected to address reintegration plans and long-term support for returnees.

Al-Hol currently houses more than 35,000 people, including approximately 13,000 Iraqi refugees, 16,000 displaced Syrians, and over 6,000 foreign nationals—mostly women and children connected to ISIS fighters.

While AANES launched a voluntary return initiative for Syrian families earlier this year, citing improved security and lower risks of reprisal, it pledged assistance for those choosing to leave.

Since 2021, Iraq, backed by international partners, has repatriated thousands of its citizens from the camp. Returnees are processed through the al-Jadaa rehabilitation center near Mosul, though the program still faces public resistance due to trauma linked to ISIS's former rule.