Syrian army reportedly enters detention camp holding relatives of IS suspects

"Syria's army has reportedly entered the country's vast al-Hawl detention camp that houses relatives of suspected Islamic State jihadists, after Kurdish forces withdrew. A large group of soldiers opened the camp's metal gate and entered while others guarded the entrance, according to an Agence France-Presse journalist at the scene. Al-Hawl, located in a desert region of al-Hasakah province, holds about 24,000 people, including 15,000 Syrians and about 6,300 foreign women and children of 42 nationalities."

"Kurdish forces announced on Tuesday that they had been compelled to withdraw from the camp to defend cities in Syria's north threatened by the army, before a ceasefire was announced. The camp is the largest for suspected jihadists established by Kurdish forces, who spearheaded the fight against IS with help from an international coalition over the past decade before IS was defeated in Syria in 2019."

"The Syrian army deployed on Monday across vast parts of northern and north-east Syria from which Kurdish forces had withdrawn. An agreement between the two sides stipulates that the Syrian state becomes responsible for IS prisoners and that the Kurdish administration be integrated into Syrian state institutions. Syria's interior ministry said it was taking necessary measures to maintain the security of al-Hawl."

Syrian army forces entered the al-Hawl detention camp after Kurdish forces withdrew to defend northern cities threatened by the army. Soldiers opened the camp's metal gate while others guarded the entrance. Al-Hawl holds about 24,000 people, including 15,000 Syrians and about 6,300 foreign women and children from 42 nationalities. Kurdish forces had established the camp while leading the fight against IS until its defeat in Syria in 2019. The Syrian defence ministry stated readiness to take responsibility for al-Hawl and all IS prisoners, and an agreement stipulates integration of the Kurdish administration into Syrian state institutions. Thousands of former jihadists and their family members remain in prisons and camps, including Al-Roj.

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