The Guardian: Disintegration of Al-Hol Camp Raises Fears of Rising Extremism

Welat TV – Erbil

The British newspaper The Guardian has warned that the dismantling of al-Hol Camp could leave thousands of women and children from more than 40 countries without support, increasing the risks of exploitation and recruitment in a fragile post-conflict environment.

In a report published on Sunday, April 12, the newspaper highlighted growing European concerns over the potential return of those individuals to their home countries, whether through official repatriation programs or via unregulated crossings, amid reports of individual escape attempts and the arrival of some escapees in neighboring countries to Syria.  

The report noted that Belgian authorities recently announced the arrest of a woman who returned in February and had previously been convicted in absentia of affiliation with the so-called Islamic State. It also revealed that more than 30 Australians attempted to leave al-Roj camp independently before being stopped at the last moment.

According to estimates, dozens of European nationals—including Albanians—remain stranded in northern Syria, facing difficulties in being located or repatriated.

In this context, human rights organizations warned that leaving women and children in such conditions could create fertile ground for future radicalization, particularly in the presence of actors seeking to recruit and exploit them