SOHR Demands Immediate Solution to ‘Al-Hol Mini-State’ Crisis  

The Syrian Democratic Forces at one of the entrances to al-Hol camp (EPA)
The Syrian Democratic Forces at one of the entrances to al-Hol camp (EPA)
TT

SOHR Demands Immediate Solution to ‘Al-Hol Mini-State’ Crisis  

The Syrian Democratic Forces at one of the entrances to al-Hol camp (EPA)
The Syrian Democratic Forces at one of the entrances to al-Hol camp (EPA)

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has renewed its appeal to the international community to find an immediate and lasting solution to al-Hol’s crisis and put a serious plan for rehabilitating the camp’s children and women.

The war monitor published a report on its website stating that the successive incidents at the camp, which is located in the far southeast region of al-Hasakah, are now unrefuted evidence of the chaos recently unleashed by ISIS in Syria.

The refugee camp has become more like a “mini-state” hosting ISIS-affiliated members and families, the report stressed, noting that most countries continue to ignore this crisis to avoid repatriating their unwelcome citizens who joined the “notorious” organization.

Chaos and lack of security are prevalent within the camp, turning it into a “ticking bomb” that cannot be ignored. 

SOHR pointed out that no murder crimes were committed by ISIS members in the camp during October 2022. It attributed this improvement in the security situation to the completion of the second phase of the Operation Humanity and Security on Sep. 17.  

The Kurdish Internal Security Forces (Asayish) launched the operation in the overcrowded refugee camp on August 25, in light of the increase in acts of murder and violence. 

Meanwhile, a new batch of Iraqi families left the camp in coordination between the Autonomous Administration and the Iraqi government.  

On Oct.18, 161 Iraqi families, including 659 people, left for Iraq, while the government refused to repatriate more nationals.  

No Syrian families were evacuated from the camp in October, but many foreign children and women were repatriated to their countries. 

On Oct. 20, the Department of Foreign Relations handed over 38 Russian children to the Russian president’s Commission for Child Rights.

This step was made after both parties signed an official document in the presence of al-Hol’s administration in the headquarters of the Autonomous Administration’s Department of Foreign Relations in Qamishli city, north of al-Hasakah. 

It came in light of the coordination between the Department of Foreign Relations in north and east Syria and Russia to repatriate children detained in camps to their countries. 

On October 26, the Department of Foreign Relations handed two Canadian children and two women of ISIS families to a Canadian delegation after signing an official document between both parties. 

Since early 2022, SOHR has documented 28 murders in the camp, which left 30 people dead, eight of whom are Iraqi refugees, including two women, 12 Syrian people, including eight women, eight unidentified women, a medic and an unidentified man. 



Lebanon's PM Says Country to Begin Disarming South Litani to Ensure State Presence

President Joseph Aoun met with PM Najib Mikati at Baabda palace. (NNA)
President Joseph Aoun met with PM Najib Mikati at Baabda palace. (NNA)
TT

Lebanon's PM Says Country to Begin Disarming South Litani to Ensure State Presence

President Joseph Aoun met with PM Najib Mikati at Baabda palace. (NNA)
President Joseph Aoun met with PM Najib Mikati at Baabda palace. (NNA)

Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Friday that the state will begin disarming southern Lebanon, particularly the south Litani region, to establish its presence across the country.
"We are in a new phase - in this new phase, we will start with south Lebanon and south Litani specifically in order to pull weapons so that the state can be present across Lebanese territory," Mikati said.

Mikati's remarks followed a meeting with newly elected President Joseph Aoun at the Baabda Presidential Palace. Aoun was elected as the country's new head of state by parliament on Thursday, ending a vacancy in the presidency that had persisted for over two years.

In his address to parliament, Aoun pledged to control weapons outside the state's control, saying the government is the sole entity authorized to possess and use military force and weapons.
A ceasefire agreement that ended the 13-month-conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in November has given the Lebanese party 60 days to end its armed presence in southern Lebanon, while Israeli forces are also required to withdraw from the area over the same period.
The ceasefire agreement says Israeli forces will move south of the Blue Line “in a phased manner” within 60 days. The Lebanese army’s troops will deploy “in parallel” to the positions.