Iraq has successfully repatriated hundreds of its citizens with links to the Islamic State group from a camp in northeastern Syria. The nearly 700 Iraqis, mostly women and children, arrived at a camp near Mosul for a rehabilitation program to help them distance themselves from extremist ideology. Despite ongoing efforts by Baghdad, Iraqis remain the largest nationality at the al-Hol camp, which also houses Syrians and individuals from 57 other countries. The camp was once home to 73,000 people, overseen by the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
187 families, totaling 697 Iraqis, were repatriated from al-Hol on Sunday, marking the 15th group to return home. The presence of foreign nationals in the camp has been a burden on the SDF, which also combats IS sleeper cells in Syria. Repatriating these individuals to their respective countries is seen as a positive step that will reduce pressure on the Kurdish-led forces. However, concerns have been raised by Iraq’s Yazidi community regarding the return of IS families to areas near Sinjar, the Yazidi heartland. The community fears a repetition of the 2014 extremist massacre that targeted Yazidis.
The director of the office for Yazidi abductees expressed concerns over the extreme ideology carried by repatriated IS families, despite the majority being women and children. The office of Iraq’s national security adviser revealed that 7,556 citizens have been repatriated from al-Hol so far, with no exact figures on the remaining number of Iraqis in the camp. Reports from Hawar News Agency indicate a total of 42,781 individuals at al-Hol, including Iraqis, Syrians, and other nationalities. Efforts to repatriate individuals continue, with Kurdish-led authorities recently sending 50 women and children to Tajikistan from al-Hol and Roj camps.
The repatriation of Iraqis from the al-Hol camp is part of an ongoing initiative to address the lingering threat posed by IS ideology. Following the defeat of the extremist group by a U.S.-led coalition in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019, efforts have been made to rehabilitate and reintegrate individuals with ties to IS. The return of women and children from the camp to Iraq is aimed at preventing any potential security threats and distancing them from extremist beliefs. The involvement of international agencies in the rehabilitation process underscores the collaborative efforts to address the complex issue of radicalization and terrorism.
The repatriation of Iraqis from Syria also highlights the challenges faced by the region in dealing with the aftermath of conflict and extremism. The concerns raised by the Yazidi community reflect the deep scars left by the atrocities committed by IS and the ongoing efforts to seek justice and protection for vulnerable populations. As countries continue to grapple with the legacy of IS and the displacement of individuals, coordinated efforts are essential to address the root causes of extremism and prevent any resurgence of violence. The successful repatriation of Iraqis from al-Hol represents a step towards addressing these challenges and promoting stability in the region.
