Samah Abdul Fattah | 2025-10-30

Activists familiar with the al-Hol and Roj camps in Syria's al-Hasakeh province confirmed that there is international and regional consensus on the need to close the facilities housing families of "Islamic State of Syria and Iraq" (ISIS) fighters.

This work involves repatriating the detainees, especially the families, to their home countries following the completion of psychological and social rehabilitation necessary for their successful reintegration into society.

"Closing the camps in northern Syria that house ISIS families presents a significant challenge and cannot be rushed without specific conditions being met," said Nermin Othman, a relief worker with the Kurdish Red Crescent.

Rehabilitation sessions are necessary for these families, particularly the women and children, to ensure they abandon the extremist ideologies acquired over the years.

"The process is managed by the camp's administration, collaborating with international relief and humanitarian organizations that submit periodic progress reports on the cases," she said.

"The successive security campaigns also play a fundamental role in sorting the camp residents to separate the extremists from the others," Othman added.

Repatriating citizens

"Many countries, particularly in Europe, are repatriating citizens for rehabilitation, but the methods differ due to varied national laws and social customs," she said.

Following rehabilitation, Syrian families leave the camp only once their tribes have been contacted. "This measure is taken to ensure the families will not revert to extremist ideologies or practices," she noted.

The issue of Iraqi families rests with Iraqi authorities, "who are seeking to empty the camps and are trying to close the entire file before the end of this year," she said.

Ensuring accountability

"The al-Hol and Roj camp file is one of the most legally complex, composed of several key components," Syrian lawyer Bashir al-Bassam told Al-Fassel.

"The file is complicated by the different types of detainees: families not involved in violence who had relatives join ISIS; those still actively engaged in terrorist acts within the camps; and ISIS members detained in al-Hasakeh prisons who are designated terrorists due to their direct role in violence," he noted.

Therefore, the case must be handled through judicial and legal channels to guarantee rights and ensure accountability for criminal acts.

He stressed that international efforts are aimed at expediting the closure of the al-Hol and Roj camps, repatriating civilians, and helping Syrian authorities accelerate the reconstruction phase.

A large number of men and women must be brought to trial to determine their fate, al-Bassam said.