BAGHDAD (Dispatches) -- Hundreds of Iraqis were transferred from a camp in northeast Syria  housing individuals with alleged links to Daesh to a rehabilitation facility in northern Iraq, marking the 30th such transfer since the Iraqi government began addressing the issue in 2021.
Around 840 Iraqi refugees departed from the Al-Hol refugee camp in Hasaka province for the Al-Jadah camp in Iraq’s Nineveh province on Monday.
Located in Hasaka province, Al-Hol is one of the largest and most volatile displacement camps in the region.
As of September, local media learned that the camp hosted around 27,488 people - approximately 7,770 families - mainly women and children with alleged ties to Daesh. The population includes about 15,233 Syrians, 5,854 Iraqis and thousands of individuals from other countries.
The Iraqi families transferred from Al-Hol are chiefly transferred to the Al-Jadah camp in Iraq’s northern Nineveh province. Previously a general settlement for internally displaced persons (IDPs), the camp was re-designated in May 2021 to receive women and children with confirmed or suspected ISIS affiliations.
The Monday transfer marks the 30th batch since the repatriation process began.
In late August, Ali Abbas, spokesperson for Iraq’s migration ministry, had told local media that 29 batches had been completed since 2021. The ministry reported on Sunday that around 19,000 people had already returned from Al-Hol, with the latest group bringing the total to roughly 20,000.
Footage of the repatriation showed United States forces accompanying the convoy, believed to include family members of Ddaesh fighters.
In September, Iraq hosted a conference on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York to discuss plans for emptying and dismantling Al-Hol. The meeting resulted in the formation of a joint task cell, led by the U.S., to facilitate the repatriation of foreign nationals from the camp.
However, some governments continue to resist taking back their citizens, citing security concerns.
In addition to Al-Hol, the Roj camp - also located in Hasaka - holds around 2,600 foreign nationals linked to Daesh.
Roj is generally considered less volatile than Al-Hol, and some detainees have been transferred there for security or potential rehabilitation purposes.