ALBAWABA - Iraq's Senior National Security Advisor, Qasim Al-Araji, called for all countries with citizens residing in the al-Hola camp, that shelters thousands related to ISIS, to repatriate their citizens saying it has become a “source for terrorism.”
During a conference held at the Al-Nahrain Center for Strategic Studies to discuss Al-Hol camp situation in northern parts of Syria. International figures attended the conference including the UN representative in Iraq, some members of the international coalition fighting Daesh, and ambassadors of several countries.
More than 50,000 people reside in the Al-Hol camp, most of which are women and children, wives, widows, children, and other family members — mostly Syrians and Iraqis — of ISIS militants.
It is believed that around 8,000 women and children live around the camp in a part known as the Annex, and are believed to be the most ultraconservative ISIS supporters among all camp residents.
According to the country’s state news agency, Ahmad Sahhaf, Iraq’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, commented: “Ending the issue of Al-Hol camp has become a top national interest for Iraq,”.
About 5,569 of Al-Hol camp residents were sent back to their homes by the Iraqi government, Iraq’s National Security Adviser Qasim Al-Araji who spoke at the conference.
Syrian Democratic Forces announced earlier in May that they handed over 50 ISIS-related families to Iraq, in addition to repatriating 170 Iraqis who were living at the camp.
