A notorious camp controlled by the PKK terrorist group's Syrian wing, the YPG, in Syria is under the spotlight amid a visit by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to neighboring Iraq.
Guterres on Thursday called for the swift repatriation of foreigners held in the al-Hol camp. The PKK/YPG which seized much of northern and eastern Syria from the Daesh terrorist group with the aid of the United States (which, ironically, recognizes PKK as a terrorist group) set up camps for their prisoners, only to face criticism from the United Nations, which deplored the camp's inhumane and degrading conditions.
The sprawling and overcrowded camp in northern Syria is home to more than 50,000 people. Nearly half of the camp's population is under the age of 12 and residents are "deprived of their rights, vulnerable and marginalized," Guterres said in a statement during a visit to Iraq. "They are trapped in a desperate situation with no end in sight," he said at the Jadaa camp in Iraq, which Iraqi authorities describe as a "rehabilitation" center for those returning from Syria.
"I have no doubt in saying that the worst camp that exists in today's world is al-Hol, with the worst possible conditions for people and with enormous suffering for the people that have been stranded there for years," Guterres said.
He urged U.N. member states who have nationals in al-Hol to "significantly step up their efforts to facilitate the safe and dignified repatriation of their nationals."
He praised war-ravaged Iraq, which has repatriated hundreds of families from al-Hol since May 2021. "All countries with their citizens in al-Hol must do the same and must do the same in the form of a dignified repatriation in line with applicable international laws; and in the case of children, guided by the principles of the best interests of children," he said.
Guterres warned that letting this "untenable situation fester" will only fuel "more resentment and despair" and threaten security and stability. Foreign governments have allowed only a small number of their citizens in al-Hol to return home, fearing security threats and a domestic political backlash.
