Crimes Terrorize Al-Hol Camp in Syria

Security forces during a raid in al-Hol camp in March. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Security forces during a raid in al-Hol camp in March. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Crimes Terrorize Al-Hol Camp in Syria

Security forces during a raid in al-Hol camp in March. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Security forces during a raid in al-Hol camp in March. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The refugees and displaced in Syria’s al-Hol camp woke up on Thursday to a new crime, raising the tally this week to five.

Security forces found the bodies of two women, who were apparently killed by a silenced weapon.

One of the victims was a Syrian from Homs city and the other from Aleppo. They were reported missing some 15 days ago, said a prominent security source.

Based on testimonies and information, the source revealed that the terrorist ISIS group was working on training and recruiting children to carry out murders in the camp that is home to 56,000 refugees.

On Wednesday, the security forces found the body of a Syrian woman, who was shot in the head.

On June 17, they found the bodies of two women. One was a Syrian and the other hasn’t been identified.

A total of 28 crimes have been reported in al-Hol. Nine of the victims have been Syrian refugees, including a Kurdish Red Cross medic. Fourteen victims were Iraqi refugees, who make up half of the population in the overcrowded camp.

Fourteen murders have been foiled.

The security forces accuse ISIS and its cells of being the culprit in the majority of these crimes.



Biden Says He Will Keep Pushing Gaza Ceasefire Efforts

 President Joe Biden speaks as other G20 leaders listen during the G20 Summit at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (Eric Lee/The New York Times via AP, Pool)
President Joe Biden speaks as other G20 leaders listen during the G20 Summit at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (Eric Lee/The New York Times via AP, Pool)
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Biden Says He Will Keep Pushing Gaza Ceasefire Efforts

 President Joe Biden speaks as other G20 leaders listen during the G20 Summit at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (Eric Lee/The New York Times via AP, Pool)
President Joe Biden speaks as other G20 leaders listen during the G20 Summit at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (Eric Lee/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

President Joe Biden told fellow global leaders at a Group of 20 summit Monday that his soon-to-end administration would keep pushing to bring an equitable end to Israel’s devastating war against Hamas in Gaza.

Seated between leaders of France and India at a long oval table at the summit site in Rio de Janeiro, Biden cited US efforts on hunger and poverty in his soon-to-end four years in office, saying he had put $160 billion into global development.

With fewer than three months left in his term, Biden also said his administration would keep pressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government on its conduct of the war and the need to end it.

“Israel has a right to defend itself after the worse massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. But how it defends itself ... matters a great deal.”

“We’re going to keep pushing to accelerate a ceasefire deal that ensures Israel’s security and brings hostages home and ends the suffering of the Palestinian people and children,” he said.

Biden also said Hamas was still refusing a deal, adding, “I am asking everyone to increase the pressure on Hamas.”