Al Hol Camp Nears Complete Evacuation… Final Families Arrive in Akhtarin

Al Hol Camp Gradually Empties… 150 Families Relocate to Akhtarin

Families previously residing in Al Hol camp in eastern Syria, which hosted relatives of fighters suspected of affiliation with ISIS for several years, have arrived at a new camp near the town of Akhtarin in northwest Aleppo countryside.

Six buses carrying around 400 people departed for the new camp. According to Rudaw, a NGO official confirmed the arrival of approximately 150 families, totaling around 500 individuals.

These movements are part of ongoing evacuations of remaining residents in the camp, aimed at preparing the facility for complete clearance. At its peak, Al-Hol housed about 24,000 people, including 15,000 Syrians, along with approximately 6,300 foreign women and children from 42 nationalities, most of whom have not been accepted for return by their countries of origin.

Control of the camp has been transferred to Syrian security forces as part of a wider deployment in northern and eastern Syria, areas previously under SDF control. This follows an agreement outlining a gradual integration of military forces and administrative structures in Hasakeh governorate. UNHCR spokesperson in Syria, Celine Schmitt, confirmed a significant decline in the camp population in recent weeks.

The ongoing relocations are part of reorganizing security and administrative arrangements in areas transitioning from SDF control to Syrian authorities. The process involves managing returning foreigners and families of suspected individuals. Authorities also face legal and humanitarian challenges related to population redistribution and ensuring the provision of essential services.

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