Syrian army takes control of camp holding thousands linked to ISIL

After Kurdish forces, who had been in charge for years, withdrew, Syrian government forces entered the vast Al-Hol camp, which houses thousands of ISIL (ISIS).

On Wednesday, troops-carrying armored vehicles made their way into the camp in Hasakeh province’s desert region. The government’s four-day ceasefire with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which was announced the day before, appears to be proceeding smoothly, given the peaceful transfer of control.

After two weeks of fighting between the army and the SDF, which was halted by Tuesday’s truce, the camp’s control was given to the group, which includes about 24, 000 people, most of whom are women and children connected to ISIL.

North and east Syria have seen significant losses for the SDF, which played a significant role in the defeat of ISIL in collaboration with an international coalition led by the United States.

During the frantic civil war in Syria, which ended in December 2024 with the fall of the regime under former President Bashar al-Assad, the Kurdish forces had ruled the regions.

The Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who replaced the SDF as the US’s key partner in the fight against ISIL, wants the Kurdish fighters to reintegrate in the country. Should the ceasefire not be reached, that process may now be in motion.

The US envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, stated in a statement on Tuesday that Damascus’ government is “both willing and positioned to take over security responsibilities” and that the SDF’s role as the main counter-ISIL force had “largely expired.”

President al-Sharaa and SDF leader Mazloum Abdi and President al-Sharaa both earlier this week had reached a deal involving the Syrian state’s handling of ISIL prisoners.

Abdi urged the US-led coalition on Tuesday to “bear its responsibilities in protecting facilities” that house ISIL members.

largest ISIL concentration camp

The largest concentration camp for those connected to ISIL, which was overthrown in Syria in 2019, is Al-Hol.

Kurdish forces established the camp after they gained coalition support for sweeping areas of Syria.

About 14,500 Syrians and nearly 3,500 Iraqis are among the captives at al-Hol.

In a camp with high levels of security, approximately 6,500 people are held separately, many of whom are devoted ISIL supporters who have enlisted from around the world.

According to The Associated Press, the SDF still holds control of the majority of the more than a dozen prisons, where roughly 9, 000 ISIL members have been detained for years.

The Gweiran Prison, which is located in the city of Hasakeh and is still under the SDF’s purview, is the largest facility, which holds about 4,500 ISIL-linked detainees.

The Hasakeh province’s Shaddadi prison was evacuated on Tuesday, according to the Syrian Interior Ministry. 120 ISIL members were among those who escaped.

The SDF was accused of releasing ISIL detainees from the facility, but Kurdish residents claimed they lost control of it as a result of a Damascus attack.