Syrian Government Accuses Kurdish Forces of Abandoning Notorious al-Hol Detention Camp

Syrian officials say Kurdish-led forces suddenly abandoned the al-Hol detention camp without coordination, leading to mass escapes of ISIS-linked families and displaced civilians. The controversial camp near the Iraqi border has now been completely closed after housing over 23,000 people for years.

Damascus officials announced Wednesday that Kurdish military forces abandoned a major detention facility in northeastern Syria without warning, triggering widespread departures of ISIS-related detainees and sparking new security worries across the region.

The al-Hol facility, positioned close to Iraq’s border, had served as a holding center for family members connected to Islamic State militants as well as civilians who fled during years of warfare.

Interior Ministry representative Noureddin al-Baba explained to media that Syrian military forces were getting ready to take control of the location when Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces suddenly retreated hours beforehand without informing Damascus leadership. According to al-Baba, government soldiers discovered complete disorder upon their arrival.

“When the forces arrived, they found the camp had been opened in a chaotic manner, leading to widespread unregulated departures,” al-Baba stated.

Government inspectors recorded over 138 breaches in the facility’s 17-kilometer security barrier, creating pathways that officials believe facilitated smuggling operations and threatened regional security. Syrian leadership noted that previous population counts of approximately 23,500 inhabitants didn’t match what troops found during their assessment.

Nearly 70% of those who remained were women, children, and elderly individuals, predominantly Syrian and Iraqi citizens, plus international families with ties to former Islamic State combatants.

Al-Baba dismissed broad accusations targeting all residents, emphasizing that Syrian legal standards demand individual court cases instead of group penalties.

“Syrian law prohibits collective punishment and requires individual criminal responsibility through the judicial process,” he explained.

International aid groups had repeatedly cautioned that al-Hol’s crowded environment and insufficient supervision created conditions that could promote radicalization and humanitarian disasters. The detention center became a contentious issue among Damascus, Kurdish leadership, and Western nations regarding accountability for thousands of prisoners after ISIS lost its territory in 2019.

Authorities verified that al-Hol was completely evacuated and permanently closed on Sunday following the organized relocation of remaining families via convoy transportation, representing a significant change in who controls detention facilities throughout northeastern Syria.