Iraq announces imminent closure of al-Hol camp

An aerial view of al-Hol refugee camp in Syria. Photo: Hawar News Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement announced on Saturday the imminent closure of al-Hol camp, confirming the rehabilitation of 21,000 returnees with no security breaches. Undersecretary of the Ministry of Migration and Displacement Karim al-Nouri told the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the camp in northeastern Syria posed a threat to the Iraqi security, but the authorities successfully stopped it, and only a small number of refugees remain. The number of remaining displaced Iraqis in al-Hol camp is approximately 1,200, which is a small number, according to al-Nouri. The US Army and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) control the al-Hol camp, which is located in the Syrian countryside of al-Hasakah, close to the Iraqi border. According to camp management statistics, the al-Hol camp had housed about 43,000 individuals from 45 countries; the majority of them are women and children linked to ISIS militants. In addition to the estimated 10,000 foreign militant families, the camp also accommodated families of displaced Syrians and Iraqis. According to Iraqi officials, before being allowed to return home, these families must remain at the al-Jadaa camp for security screening and psychological rehabilitation. This is done in an effort to decrease the animosity that these families may face when they return. Iraq is one of the few countries that frequently repatriates its citizens from al-Hol camp, a practice hailed by both the United Nations and the United States.