ISIS Families Enter Iraq Among Transferees from Hol Camp

Residents of al-Hol camp. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Residents of al-Hol camp. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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ISIS Families Enter Iraq Among Transferees from Hol Camp

Residents of al-Hol camp. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Residents of al-Hol camp. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

A number of ISIS families entered back into Iraq among others transferred from al-Hol camp, in Syria’s al-Hasakah region, to al-Jada camp in Nineveh, following an agreement between Iraq and the United Nations Mission to Iraq.

A security source in Nineveh reported that a convoy of 10 buses entered al-Jada camp, south of Mosul, where they were assigned to their respective tents.

The source noted that a joint security committee from all state security agencies, including national security, intelligence, and military intelligence, has a complete database and list of names of each batch being transferred to determine which individuals belong to ISIS.

A number of Nineveh lawmakers have expressed alarm over the consequences of transferring these large numbers of families to Iraq. Security agencies also fear the possibility that ISIS may resume its work by exploiting these families, especially children, to establish a third generation of terrorists.

However, Nineveh Governor Najm al-Jubouri confirmed in a press conference that the batch that was transferred does not include ISIS relatives, but rather the families who migrated to Syrian territory because of the war and ended up in al-Hol.

Security expert Fadel Abu Ragheef told Asharq Al-Awsat that the transfer has already taken place, stressing that the most important issue is that Iraq cannot alone manage al-Hol camp, not even part of it.

Abu Ragheef described the camp as a "ticking time bomb" that threatens the entire world, as it includes more than 65,000 members of the ideologized ISIS families, who deeply believe in the terrorist organization’s extremist and radical views.

The situation demands real international efforts to confront the repercussions, said the expert, calling for allocating sufficient funds and sheltering camps to those families.

He also asserted that they should be referred to investigative committees, similar to what happened to the 1,600 detainees of Syria’s Baghouz camp, who were referred to the judiciary for sentencing.

Former Yazidi MP Vian Dakhil told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Iraqi government, which previously ignored the tragedy of the Yazidi community in particular and Iraqis in general, agreed to a suspicious deal to bring back more than 3,000 members of ISIS families to Iraq.

She explained that there are about 100 families who were transferred back to Iraq with official protection and housed in al-Jada camp.

Dakhil pointed out that this action ignores the tragedies of Iraqis, especially the Yazidis, who suffered genocide, displacement and rape, and the authorities did not take any serious steps to compensate them.

She rejected this “provocative step”, but acknowledged that some of these families may not be responsible for ISIS crimes against the Yazidis and Iraqis.

Meanwhile, Iraqi intelligence arrested a group of Syrians trying to infiltrate Iraqi territory across the border.

The Security Media Cell said in a statement, Monday, that based on accurate information of the Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism Division - in Nineveh, the units arrested a group of Syrians infiltrating across the Syrian-Iraqi border.



Barrack Says Hezbollah Involvement in Iran-Israel War Would Be 'Very Bad Decision'

A handout photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office on June 19, 2025 shows Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun (R) welcoming US negotiator Thomas Barrack at the presidential palace of Baabda east of Beirut. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
A handout photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office on June 19, 2025 shows Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun (R) welcoming US negotiator Thomas Barrack at the presidential palace of Baabda east of Beirut. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
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Barrack Says Hezbollah Involvement in Iran-Israel War Would Be 'Very Bad Decision'

A handout photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office on June 19, 2025 shows Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun (R) welcoming US negotiator Thomas Barrack at the presidential palace of Baabda east of Beirut. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
A handout photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office on June 19, 2025 shows Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun (R) welcoming US negotiator Thomas Barrack at the presidential palace of Baabda east of Beirut. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)

The US special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack on Thursday warned Hezbollah against getting involved in the war between its main backer Iran and Israel.

"I can say on behalf of President (Donald) Trump... that would be a very, very, very bad decision," Barrack said, responding to a question on what the US position would be on any involvement by Hezbollah in the war.

Barrack met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at Baabda Palace and Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain el-Tineh.

Hezbollah has condemned Israel's strikes on Iran and expressed full solidarity with its leadership.

Hezbollah on Thursday expressed support for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei following threats by Israeli leaders that he could be killed.

In a statement, Hezbollah said that “threats to assassinate (Khamenei) are foolish and reckless, and will have disastrous consequences.”

But the group has stopped short of making explicit threats to intervene.

Israel's defense minister said Thursday that Khamenei "can no longer be allowed to exist" after an Israeli hospital was hit during an Iranian missile attack.

"Khamenei openly declares that he wants Israel destroyed -- he personally gives the order to fire on hospitals. He considers the destruction of the state of Israel to be a goal," Israel Katz told journalists in Holon near Tel Aviv. "Such a man can no longer be allowed to exist."

Killing Khamenei would "end the conflict" between Israel and Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said.