Detainees gather at al-Hol camp after the Syrian government took control of it following the withdrawal of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in Hasaka, Syria, Jan. 21, 2026. (Credit: Khalil Ashawi/ Reuters)
Most relatives of foreign fighters have left al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria since the departure on Jan. 20 of Kurdish troops, who were replaced by Syrian security forces, two humanitarian sources and witnesses told AFP.
Al-Hol – the largest camp for families of the Islamic State group (IS) in Syria – housed around 6,300 foreign women and children in a high-security section known as the Annex. “Since last Saturday, no more than about 20 families remain,” one of the sources said on condition of anonymity, without providing further details on the fate of those who left.
Most relatives of foreign fighters have left al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria since the departure on Jan. 20 of Kurdish troops, who were replaced by Syrian security forces, two humanitarian sources and witnesses told AFP.
Al-Hol – the largest camp for families of the Islamic State group (IS) in Syria – housed around 6,300 foreign women and children in a high-security section known as the Annex. “Since last Saturday, no more than about 20 families remain,” one of the sources said on condition of anonymity, without providing further details on the fate of those who left.
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