The "Al-Hol" camp in Syria has so far held terrorists from the "Islamic State" and their family members. Since the closure of the camp, thousands of Islamists are still missing. Many of them are considered dangerous.
A few weeks ago, the troops of the Syrian transitional government captured the notorious "Al-Hol" camp in northeastern Syria. For years, thousands of families of "Islamic State" fighters have been held there (IS) - mostly women and children, tightly guarded by Kurdish forces.
After the camp was dismantled by the current rulers in Syria, thousands of supporters of the terrorist organization are now free. According to observers, this creates fertile ground for terrorism, notes the German public media ARD.
"Al Hol" is a "time bomb"
The expert from the International Counter-Terrorism Center Thomas Renard defines this development as a "time bomb". According to him, a lasting solution must be found for IS supporters - to be convicted or given the opportunity for rehabilitation. In the "Al Hol" camp, they have been held illegally until now, he adds.
After the Kurdish units of the "Syrian Democratic Forces" (SDF) were pushed back by Syrian troops, the transitional government took control of the camp and decided to close it. “Al-Hol“ is apparently now history, ARD points out.
“This camp was probably the only place in the world where women and children were held without trial and without proven guilt, just because one of their relatives was a member of IS“, says Monter al-Salal from a Syrian non-governmental organization that helped dismantle the camp. He believes that the interim government wanted to end the suffering of these people.
Some of the IS supporters have been moved to Iraq
Thousands of women and children have been moved to another camp in Aleppo province, some even to their relatives, others have been transferred to Iraq. A German partner organization of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees announced that it had assisted in the repatriation of about 200 Iraqi citizens from the “Al Hol“ camp to Iraq. Several thousand IS supporters classified as dangerous were also transferred to Iraq.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein confirmed that about 3,000 prisoners had arrived from Syria. In this regard, he expressed his concern and warned of the reactivation of “Islamic State“ in Syria. "There are many people there who believe in this ideology, and this is very dangerous," ARD quoted him as saying.
Mass escape from "Al Hol"?
This danger could be even greater, as there is evidence that several thousand prisoners from "Al Hol" have apparently managed to escape. That is why terrorism expert Renard speaks of a foretold catastrophe: "We have an uncontrolled escape or release from "Al Hol", and now some of them will certainly join ISIS. For "Islamic State" this is a victory that we have helped. And it should have been prevented," he said, quoted by ARD.
It is also unclear what will happen to ISIS's foreign supporters. Australia has already refused to take back its citizens, and some German supporters of ISIS have been transferred to Iraq, the publication points out.
"Sleeper cells" of ISIS are still active
Although the terrorist organization is considered militarily defeated, there are still "sleeper cells" in the northeastern part of Syria that carry out attacks. Just a few days ago, ISIS openly declared war on Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa and called for attacks.
"The Islamic State in Syria is restructuring", says Thomas Renard. "Although it is a pale shadow of what it once was, it still has about 3,000 fighters and sympathizers, is recruiting new ones and is significantly more aggressive and active when it comes to attacks," he emphasizes.
Regardless, the US has apparently continued to withdraw its troops from Syria - eyewitnesses claim that American soldiers have left the largest base in the northeast. The Wall Street Journal reported that the US is withdrawing all remaining about 1,000 soldiers from Syria, and the withdrawal could be completed in March.
The children who grew up in the Al-Hol camp are getting a chance at a new life - after years of isolation, they must be integrated into Syrian society. Now the question is whether Syria will succeed in turning them into respectable citizens or the Islamic State will receive new additions.