By Anas al-Bar | 2025-10-23

Iraq has recorded the return of a significant number of its citizens from the Syrian al-Hol camp.

This repatriation is part of national and international plans to return all residents to their home countries, eventually leading to the closure of the camp, widely described as a "breeding ground for extremism."

Despite progress in departures, the al-Hol crisis persists.

Thousands continue to live in extreme poverty, making them vulnerable to influence by the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS).

Since 2021, the Iraqi government has evacuated its citizens from al-Hol and moved them to the al-Amal (Hope) Center in the al-Jadaa camp, south of Mosul.

The center provides shelter, food, and essential psychological and social services to aid rehabilitation.

So far, nearly 19,000 Iraqis – approximately 5,000 families – have returned home.

The overall camp population has dropped to 30,000 this year, most of whom are Syrians.

An opportunity for reintegration

The repatriation plan focuses on "creating an integrated environment" for all returning individuals not convicted of terrorism, Ali Abbas Jahangir, spokesperson for the Iraqi Ministry of Migration, said t

"It provides them with safety, support, and a valuable opportunity to reintegrate into society," he told Al-Fassel.

He described the effort as a "lifeboat," offering an escape from the camp's harsh conditions and helping individuals distance themselves from terrorist ideologies.

Jahangir highlighted successes in "eliminating extremism and ensuring a positive response to the returnees' rehabilitation programs."

At al-Amal Center, several Iraqi and 18 international organizations implement 77 humanitarian programs.

These initiatives aim to support mental health, enhance learning skills, build capacities, and instill tolerance, moderation, and social adaptation.

"Partnering with the Ministry of Migration, various Iraqi ministries monitor returnees, issue official documents, arrange post-rehabilitation transfers home, and foster community reconciliation," Jahangir said.

Beyond the threat of children being drawn into extremist ranks, documentation of killings, forced disappearances, and assaults confirms al-Hol as one of the world’s most dangerous camps.

"The situation of women and children inside the camp is tragic," Sheikh Mudar al-Assaad, head of the Supreme Council of Syrian Tribes and Clans, told Al-Fassel.

"Al-Hol residents face daily suffering due to the absence of care, food, services, and security," he said.

"Their situation deteriorates daily, increasing the risks of expanding extremism and losing a generation of children who have lacked both education and care," he said.