Security campaigns and operations in al-Hol Camp

Al-Hol Camp, located 45 km east of Hasakah city near the Syrian-Iraqi border, is considered one of the most complex and dangerous areas in the security and humanitarian landscape of North and East Syria.

The camp was first established in the early 1990s to shelter Iraqi refugees, and later reopened after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. During the Syrian conflict, it turned into a highly strategic and perilous point after its occupation by ISIS mercenaries, who used it as a transit hub between Syria and Iraq.

Following the Syrian Democratic Forces’ liberation of the camp in 2015, it was repurposed to host tens of thousands of displaced Syrians fleeing the devastation of war, as well as families of ISIS after the group’s territorial defeat in its last stronghold of Baghouz in March 2019.

Since then, the camp has grown increasingly dangerous. With the relocation of ISIS families, al-Hol has come to be described as a “ticking time bomb” threatening both local and regional security. At that time, the camp’s population reached around 74,000 people, most of them women and children from radicalized backgrounds.

Over time, a hardened extremist structure took root inside the camp, regenerating sleeper cells in new forms. Its environment became fertile ground for recruiting children, setting up clandestine “sharia courts,” and carrying out killings and intimidation against those rejecting extremist ideology.

Security Campaigns and Operations

In response to these challenges, since 2021 the Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria, supported by the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) and the Syrian Democratic Forces, have carried out six consecutive security operations inside the camp to pursue ISIS cells and curb the spread of extremist ideology — the latest of which began today.

Operation “Humanity and Security”

Phase One:

The first phase of the operation was launched on March 28, 2021, and lasted until April 2. During this campaign, 125 ISIS mercenaries were arrested, including 20 senior leaders, along with the seizure of explosive devices and communication equipment.

This phase came in direct response to a wave of assassinations targeting women who had publicly renounced extremist ideology — a clear indication of ISIS’s attempts to reimpose its authority inside the camp.

Phase Two:

The second phase began on August 25, 2022, after more than a year’s delay due to intensified Turkish military assaults on North and East Syria.

This phase exposed the dangerous extent of ISIS’s resurgence, as extremist women reconstituted what was referred to as the “Hisba” morality police, and organized religious courses aimed at recruiting children, according to statements by the Internal Security Forces and the camp administration.

Phase Three:

On January 27, 2024, the third phase of the campaign was launched following intelligence reports that ISIS mercenaries were exploiting the Syrian Democratic Forces’ preoccupation with intensified Turkish escalation.

This phase, which lasted 10 days, resulted in the arrest of 85 ISIS members and the killing of the senior ISIS leader known as “Abu Sufyan,” who was responsible for coordinating terrorist operations inside and outside the camp. In addition, the operation secured the release of Yazidi woman Kovan Aido Hebi, who was freed after ten years in captivity.

Operation “ Permanent Security”

On November 6, 2024, the operation was launched in the camp. It was notable for its expanded scope, covering the camp’s perimeter and adjacent rural areas. Security forces swept through more than 100 square kilometers, arresting 79 ISIS mercenaries, and discovered the body of a woman killed by the “female Hisba,” in a crime underscoring the continued influence of extremist ideology among some camp residents.

Security Sweep of al-Hol Camp and its Surroundings

On April 18, 2025, the Internal Security Forces, supported by the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), launched a major security operation in the camp and its surroundings, following repeated attacks on humanitarian organization centers operating within al-Hol.

The operation, which continued until April 23, led to the arrest of 20 ISIS mercenaries and collaborators, the seizure of hidden weapons and ammunition, and the foiling of a mass escape attempt coordinated by an ISIS cell inside the camp with another external cell. The entire network was dismantled and its members arrested.

In parallel, the Internal Security Forces – Women conducted a special operation targeting a dangerous ISIS cell that had been coordinating with other groups to carry out terrorist acts.

Phase Four of “Operation Humanity and Security”

On September 5, 2025, the Internal Security Forces, alongside the Women’s Security Forces, the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), and supported by the Syrian Democratic Forces and the International Coalition, launched the fourth phase of “Operation Humanity and Security” inside al-Hol Camp.

Security Vacuum and Escalation of Attacks in North and East Syria

Since the collapse of the Baathist regime on December 24, 2024, Syria has witnessed a significant security vacuum, which ISIS has exploited to reorganize its ranks. The group benefited from large stockpiles of weapons belonging to the former regime and from the inability of the Damascus interim government to maintain control over its territories.

ISIS activity has increased markedly, particularly in the Syrian desert (al-Badiya), while its attacks on North and East Syria have intensified, exacerbated by the ideological alignment of some foreign fighters affiliated with the interim government with ISIS’s extremist doctrine.

Military commander Abdul Karim Owaid confirmed the surge in attacks since the beginning of the year, documenting 150 assaults on military and security positions in Deir ez-Zor alone, while 163 attacks were recorded across North and East Syria by the end of August. In contrast, the Syrian Observatory documented only four attacks in areas under the interim government, concentrated in the Homs desert and the eastern countryside of Suwayda.

In August, the United Nations Security Council, in an official session, heard the semi-annual report of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism on the escalating threats posed by ISIS to international peace and security. The organization warned of ISIS’s capacity to adapt and alter its methods, exploiting instability across several regions, particularly in Africa and Syria.

According to the report, ISIS remains active in Iraq and Syria despite the killing of several of its leaders, while continuing to exploit Syria’s fragile security environment to recruit new militants and reorganize its ranks.

The report further noted that in Syria: “The situation remains fragile following Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s control over parts of the country. ISIS continues to exploit security gaps, engage in clandestine operations, and incite sectarian tensions.”

Al-Hol Camp: A Continuous Factory of Extremism

Today, al-Hol Camp is regarded as an environment ideally suited for the regeneration of ISIS mercenaries. The absence of rehabilitation programs and the persistence of extremist ideology have made the camp fertile ground for radicalization, particularly among children indoctrinated from an early age in so-called “Cubs of the Caliphate” training sessions.

Meanwhile, extremist women continue to impose a coercive “religious authority” through intimidation and torture of dissenters, leading to murders of women who rejected extremist ideology.

International Neglect: Fueling the Crisis

Despite significant security efforts by the Internal Security Forces, the Women’s Protection Units, and the Syrian Democratic Forces, international neglect poses a compounded threat. With most Western countries refusing to repatriate their nationals and the absence of frameworks for prosecuting ISIS detainees, the Autonomous Administration bears the full burden without financial or institutional support.

The lack of rehabilitation programs and humanitarian aid further heightens the risk of the camp’s transformation from a detention site into a new terrorist hub.

The Rescue Plan Required

This phase requires a comprehensive approach, including:

Launching an international campaign to resettle families and rehabilitate women and children.

Establishing an international tribunal to prosecute ISIS militants under international law inside North and East Syria.

Expanding psychological and educational rehabilitation programs under the supervision of specialized international organizations.

Increasing financial and logistical support to the Autonomous Administration.

Implementing an international monitoring mechanism to ensure the cessation of abuses and contain extremist ideology within the camp.

Latest Statistics from al-Hol Camp

According to the latest figures obtained by ANHA Agency from the administration of al-Hol Camp, the total population currently stands at 26,539 people, including 6,253 foreign nationals, 4,339 Iraqis, 15,245 Syrians, and 9 stateless individuals.

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ANHA