About 51,000 people live at Al Hol Camp, most of them women and children. AFP
About 51,000 people live at Al Hol Camp, most of them women and children. AFP
About 51,000 people live at Al Hol Camp, most of them women and children. AFP
About 51,000 people live at Al Hol Camp, most of them women and children. AFP

MENA

Syria

Fire breaks out at Syria's Al Hol camp housing ISIS-linked families

Blaze caused material damage to the camp, but there were no casualties

Soraya Ebrahimi
Soraya Ebrahimi

August 09, 2023

  • English
  • Arabic

A fire began on Wednesday at the sprawling Al Hol camp in north-east Syria, which houses tens of thousands of mostly women and children linked to ISIS, causing material damage but no casualties, the camp’s director said.

About 51,000 people live at Al Hol Camp, the vast majority of them women and children, including the wives, widows and other family members of ISIS militants.

Most are Syrians and Iraqis.

However, there are also about 8,000 women and children from 60 other nationalities who live in a part of the camp known as the Annexe.

They are generally considered the most diehard ISIS supporters among the camp residents.

The camp’s director, Jihan Hanan, told reporters that the fire broke out in the Annexe, torching 10 tents and reaching a centre for an organisation that takes care of children.

She added that a container used by the centre was burnt as well.

Ms Hanan said the cause of the fire was still unknown.

The local Kurdish police force known as Asayesh brought tanker lorries from outside the camp to extinguish the fire, she added.

Miserable conditions at Al Hol camp in north-east Syria – in pictures

Al Hol camp in Al Hasakeh province, Syria, houses families of ISIS fighters. AP
Al Hol camp in Al Hasakeh province, Syria, houses families of ISIS fighters. AP
About 56,000 people, mostly women and children, live in crowded conditions in the camp. AFP
About 56,000 people, mostly women and children, live in crowded conditions in the camp. AFP
Many of its residents have been there since ISIS was defeated in Syria in 2019. AFP
Many of its residents have been there since ISIS was defeated in Syria in 2019. AFP
About 10,000 people at Al Hol are non-Arab foreign citizens, with the rest mostly from Syria and Iraq. AFP
About 10,000 people at Al Hol are non-Arab foreign citizens, with the rest mostly from Syria and Iraq. AFP
The Al Hol camp, which holds relatives of suspected ISIS group fighters. AFP
The Al Hol camp, which holds relatives of suspected ISIS group fighters. AFP
UK charity Save the Children says 40,000 children from 60 countries live in dire conditions in Syria's Roj and Al Hol camps. AFP
UK charity Save the Children says 40,000 children from 60 countries live in dire conditions in Syria's Roj and Al Hol camps. AFP
Families at Al Hol gather their belongings as they prepare to return home to Syria's northern Raqqa region. AFP
Families at Al Hol gather their belongings as they prepare to return home to Syria's northern Raqqa region. AFP
Two children die at the camp every week, Save the Children has said. AFP
Two children die at the camp every week, Save the Children has said. AFP
There have been reports of women in the camp being detained and tortured by ISIS supporters. AFP
There have been reports of women in the camp being detained and tortured by ISIS supporters. AFP
Children play in a mud puddle at Al Hol camp. AP
Children play in a mud puddle at Al Hol camp. AP

The camp population is down from its height of 73,000, mostly because Syrians and Iraqis were allowed to go home.

But other countries have largely balked at taking back their citizens who travelled to join ISIS after the radical group seized large parts of Iraq and Syria in 2014.

Despite the extremist group’s defeat in Iraq in 2017 and Syria in 2019, ISIS sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in both countries.

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