Security deteriorates in Al-Hol as smuggling increases

For the second consecutive day, the Internal Security Forces of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria have continued their security sweep and search operations in Al-Hol Camp, following the launch of a new security campaign on Friday. The campaign is based on precise intelligence concerning the activities of ISIS sleeper cells both inside and outside the camp.

 As part of its coverage of the ongoing campaign, our agency conducted an interview with Jihan Hanan, who spoke about the complex security and humanitarian challenges facing the camp’s administration, in addition to the repeated violations targeting workers and humanitarian actors.

 “These assaults and violations are not new,” Hanan stated. “They have become recurrent and are primarily directed against camp staff and NGO personnel, reflecting broader developments in the region.”

 She added that facilities operated by humanitarian organizations are being deliberately vandalized by women and children affiliated with ISIS, explaining that “doors and windows are frequently smashed, and staff members are pelted with stones by ISIS-affiliated children.”

 According to Hanan, “the recurrence of such incidents is directly linked to the radical ideologies embraced by these individuals.”

 Escalating Smuggling and Escape Attempts

 Hanan further revealed a significant uptick in escape attempts by families and members of ISIS cells, stating: “Smuggling attempts have become almost a daily occurrence, particularly concerning Iraqi families. Several attempts have already been thwarted by security forces.”

 She also confirmed that some families, including minors as young as 16, have succeeded in escaping and relocating to other areas within Syria.

 A Call for International Responsibility

 Hanan emphasized that “the situation in Al-Hol is not solely a domestic matter for the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, but an international issue for which all states with nationals in the camp bear responsibility.”

 She warned that the cessation of international support has compounded the burdens faced by both civilian and military components of the administration, stating: “We are confronting immense challenges amid the lack of assistance, which severely strains our capacity to manage the camp and meet its needs.”

 Hanan reiterated the urgent need for the international community to assume its responsibilities by providing comprehensive support—military, financial, and logistical—to help stabilize the situation until the camp’s closure can be fully realized.

 She concluded by reaffirming the administration’s objective to facilitate the return of all camp residents to their areas of origin, emphasizing that “resolving the Al-Hol file requires a dual approach: voluntary repatriation and sustained international support.”

 On the second day of the security campaign, participating forces reportedly apprehended 16 ISIS operatives during ongoing search operations in and around the camp.

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ANHA