Syria: The Collapse of Al Hol Camp

Country: Syrian Arab Republic Source: Repatriate the Children Sweden Please refer to the attached file. Executive Summary Thousands of individuals held in arbitrary and unlawful detention in northeast Syria, or displaced from such detention, are subject to a sustained and preventable crisis affecting human rights, security, and due process. For years, they have been deprived of liberty without charge or trial. The vast majority are children, many of whom have spent most or all of their lives in conditions of indefinite detention amounting to torture. The disorderly collapse of Al Hol camp in January 2026 demonstrates that such a detention system is not only unlawful and harmful, but fundamentally unsustainable. The consequences for the individuals detained were immediate and severe, both during the camp’s existence and when it collapsed. Developments in Syria since December 2024, and especially since January 2026, have altered the context in which these individuals are held. While this development has increased the risks of trafficking, exploitation, and ongoing forms of detention, it has also created new opportunities to resolve the situation. The shift from control by non-state actors to increasing control by internationally recognised state authorities in Syria may facilitate access to consular services, enable more direct engagement by states of origin with their nationals, and create clearer pathways for the deportation / repatriation of third-country nationals. These developments underscore both the urgency of action and the feasibility of solutions. Continued non-repatriation perpetuates harm and generational trauma. These individuals are exposed to regular violence, deprivation, lack of education and healthcare, and heightened risks of exploitation, human trafficking and rec...

Original source: Relief Web