What Do We Know About the Al-Hol Camp Crisis in Syria?

The sprawling Al-Hol camp in Syria, long described as a “ticking human time bomb” for housing individuals affiliated with the Islamic State (IS), is facing a major security shift as the US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have withdrawn, citing “international indifference,” and the Syrian army has taken control.

The camp holds approximately 37,000 people, the vast majority of whom are women and children, including 16,000 Syrians, 15,000 Iraqis, and a critical contingent of about 6,000 individuals from at least 42 foreign countries, including European nations like France, Germany, and the UK.

 These foreign families, many considered the most extreme and held in a special section, represent a core dilemma as their home governments have largely refused repatriation, leaving them in legal limbo.

The handover of control from the SDF to the Syrian army introduces major new uncertainties, resetting the timer on a profound security and humanitarian crisis with global implications.