- About 15,000 to 20,000 people escaped Syria's Al-Hol camp after security collapsed
- Al-Hol housed over 70,000 people after IS caliphate fell, with 23,000 residents in 2025
- Syrian government took control after defeating US-backed SDF, leading to security breakdown
About 15,000 to 20,000 people have escaped from Syria's Al-Hol camp, according to US intelligence agencies. The camp, once home to thousands of Islamic State families, saw security break down after Syrian government forces took control, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The Al-Hol facility in Syria's eastern desert housed over 70,000 people after the fall of the Islamic State's self-proclaimed caliphate in 2019, and had around 23,000 residents at the end of 2025, according to a report from the Pentagon's Inspector General. Security at the camp collapsed in recent weeks after Syria's government defeated the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which had guarded Al-Hol for years.
The Kurdish‑led SDF said they were “compelled” to withdraw from Al‑Hol due to international indifference and redeployment needs, leaving the camp vulnerable and contributing to escapes, as per CN News.
Security experts have long warned that the wives of Islamic State fighters were effectively raising the next generation of militants at Al-Hol.
Western diplomats in Damascus reported that more than 20,000 people fled the camp within days amid rioting and escape attempts. Only 300 to 400 families remained at the beginning of the week, a diplomat said.
US officials said the mass escape was partly due to mismanagement by Syria's government and a lack of careful control over the camp's large security perimeter. Last week, worsening conditions at the camp led detainees to riot, attack aid facilities, and injure a humanitarian worker, according to The WSJ.
The Syrian government, led by former jihadist President Ahmed al-Shara, acknowledged that many people left the camp and said it plans to monitor extremists and reintegrate them into society. The government blamed the chaos on SDF troops, saying they abandoned the camp during the January offensive, leaving it unguarded for hours.
The Islamic State has announced responsibility for several recent attacks on Syrian army personnel, describing these as part of a “new phase” of operations, Reuters reported.
The United Nations refugee agency reports the population at Al‑Hol has dropped sharply after the Syrian government seized control. Remaining residents are being relocated to other camps such as Akhtarin camp in Aleppo province, with UNHCR ready to support relocations and provide assistance. Thousands of IS suspects have also been transferred from Syrian detention centres to Iraqi custody under a US‑brokered agreement for prosecution, Associated Press reported.
