Dozens of Syrian families prepare to leave al-Hol camp

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Over 70 families affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS) were readying to leave the notorious al-Hol camp in northeast Syria (Rojava) to return to their homes in Deir ez-Zor on Sunday, a conflict monitor reported marking the first batch to leave the camp since ISIS’ prison break attempt earlier in the year.

About 400 people from 77 Syrian families were preparing to leave the camp later in the day, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), with a ground network in Syria reported. 

Attempts to take back Syrian families from al-Hol camp stopped in January after ISIS attempted to break thousands of its affiliates and members out of al-Sina'a prison in Hasaka province. The facility, also known to locals as the Ghweran prison, houses thousands of ISIS-linked prisoners.

A batch of 53 families had left al-Hol before the prison break attempt in January. 

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the internal security forces (Asayish) regained control of the prison following days of clashes.

This is the 23rd batch of Syrian families set to be removed from the camp since evacuation efforts began in October 2020.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) arrested droves of ISIS fighters and their families when they overran ISIS's last stronghold in Syria in March 2019. Many of these people were taken to al-Hol, which is now home to around 56,000 people - mostly women and children of different nationalities.

Located in Hasaka province, al-Hol has infamously been branded a breeding ground for terrorism, with authorities describing the sprawling camp as a "ticking time bomb," saying the situation in the camp is "very dangerous" with ISIS sleeper cells active in the camp.

There have been repeated calls from Kurdish and US officials asking the international community to repatriate their nationals from al-Hol, but only a few countries have responded positively as they are worried about security concerns.