232 Iraqi Families Leave al-Hol Camp for Iraq
ARK News.. On Thursday, August 28, 2025, a total of 232 Iraqi families—comprising 850 individuals—departed al-Hol camp in Syria’s Hasaka countryside, heading toward Iraqi territory. The transfer was carried out in coordination between the Iraqi government and the Autonomous Administration.
According to camp management, this marks the 29th group to leave al-Hol since the start of coordination between both sides, and the 12th convoy this year alone.
Camp authorities reported that over 20,000 Iraqi refugees have so far been repatriated with Baghdad’s cooperation. Still, around 6,000 Iraqis remain in al-Hol.
At the end of July, 233 Iraqi families—over 800 individuals—left the camp, marking the 11th such transfer since the beginning of 2025.
Established in 1991 to shelter Iraqi refugees fleeing the Gulf War, al-Hol was reopened in 2003 following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. In 2013, the camp fell under the control of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS), before being retaken in 2015 by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) with support from the U.S.-led international coalition.
Today, the camp is administered by the SDF and hosts around 50,000 residents, including Syrians, Iraqis, and more than 10,000 foreign nationals—families of ISIS fighters from about 60 different countries.
The Iraqi government, in coordination with international partners, continues efforts to close this chapter by returning its citizens, citing the security, social, and humanitarian challenges posed by al-Hol in the post-ISIS era.
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