Syria Kurdish forces 'compelled to withdraw' from IS-linked Al-Hol camp: statement

Tuesday, 20 January, 2026 , 13:37

Qamishli, Syria, Jan 20, 2026 (AFP) — The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said Tuesday they had withdrawn from northeast Syria's Al-Hol camp, which holds thousands of relatives of Islamic State jihadists, after the army accused them of abandoning the site.

Citing "international indifference" towards the IS issue and "the failure of the international community to assume its responsibilities in addressing this serious matter, our forces were compelled to withdraw from Al-Hol camp and redeploy in the vicinity of cities in northern Syria that are facing increasing risks and threat", the SDF said in a statement.