The ongoing situation in Syria and Iraq is being highlighted by a recent uprising at Hasaka prison. On January 20, 2022, a jihadist organization stormed the prison with at least 100 fighters, killing over 500 people in the process. The purpose of the attack was to free ISIS members who were being held in prison, including leaders of the jihadist movement.
The battle lasted for ten days before the Syrian Kurdish forces gained control of the situation. However, this uprising is just one example of the ongoing struggle against ISIS in northeastern Syria. According to the Washington Institute, thousands of ISIS jihadists are still being held in prisons in the region. The largest camp is Al-Holi, which houses approximately 56,000 people, most of whom are women and children.
In December 2021, there were over 46,000 people living in the Al-Holi camp. Despite efforts to repatriate campers to their home countries, progress has been slow. Many of these individuals are Iraqis and Syrians who have lived in camps for years and may not be ready to adapt to life outside of them. This has led to allegations of abuse and neglect within the camps.
Human rights organizations like Amnesty International have called for corrective actions to address these issues. While some repatriation efforts have started, the population in these camps remains high and living conditions remain dire. As such, it is clear that much work needs to be done if we are ever going to defeat ISIS once and for all.
