by Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – The new Syrian transitional government is moving to dismantle the Al-Hol and Roj camps in eastern Syria, which have housed tens of thousands of ISIS fighters’ families since the terror group’s defeat in 2019, the Jerusalem Post reports.
The camps, once holding over 80,000 people, became hubs of radicalization, with ISIS loyalists enforcing extremist norms and raising children in militant ideologies. With no international consensus or funding for de-radicalization, Kurdish authorities in the region struggled to maintain order.
A breakthrough came after the fall of the Assad regime. Kurdish officials and the new Syrian government reached an agreement to begin returning Syrian families from Al-Hol to their home regions. The U.S.-led Coalition facilitated talks and broader cooperation, including deals over strategic infrastructure and military coordination.
A Syrian delegation, accompanied by Coalition representatives, visited Al-Hol for the first time on May 25. Damascus has agreed to take control of all areas in the Kurdish-administered Rojava region, including the camps.
Despite progress, ISIS remains a threat. Syrian forces recently disrupted a cell near Damascus, and attacks continue in the east. Meanwhile, Damascus is pushing for a decentralized governance model to integrate Kurdish areas into the national framework.
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