The camp, which has become akin to a ‘powder keg,’ stands today at a crossroads: either it will be dismantled and closed through a joint international effort, or it will remain a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment, affecting the region. Iraqi political analyst Haider Arab warns in an interview with Sputnik about the dangers of keeping the Al-Hol camp open, considering it houses thousands of wanted individuals from Iraq and other countries, along with a wide variety of nationalities, making it a regional and international security threat.
Arab states: ‘The international community must work to return all nationalities to their original countries and not leave Iraq alone to face this complex issue,’ emphasizing that ‘the presence of a large number of Iraqis inside the camp requires the Iraqi government to develop a comprehensive program for rehabilitation and social integration to ensure the eradication of extremist ideology and prevent its return.’
He points out that ‘leaving the camp as it is will turn it into a complete bomb,’ calling for ‘dividing the camp or gradually dismantling it by returning part of its residents to their original countries and transferring others to European and Asian countries, with shared responsibility between Iraq, the United States, and the international community.’ Arab stresses that ‘any neglect of this issue will make Al-Hol camp a bomb ready to explode at any moment, especially with.’
A few days ago, Iraqi Minister of Migration and Displacement, Evan Faiq Jabro, announced that Iraq succeeded in returning more than 17,000 people from the Syrian Al-Hol camp, including over 11,000 who underwent rehabilitation programs, while efforts continue to complete the return of about 6,600 others despite funding challenges and the suspension of some activities following the halt of U.S. support.
Conversely, Iraqi political expert Mohammed Fakhri states: ‘It has remained since the previous regime as an unresolved issue neither by Iraq nor Syria, which has turned it into a ticking time bomb harboring the most radical factions of armed groups.’ According to Fakhri, ‘Any security breakdown or border breach could intentionally release these militants towards Iraq, potentially igniting sedition and destabilizing internal stability,’ noting that ‘dealing with this issue requires a joint international effort and extensive cooperation, as its consequences are not limited to Syria but affect the entire region.’
Furthermore, Iraqi political researcher Musab Al-Bayati asserts that ‘the absence of complete control over the camp by responsible parties makes it similar to a bomb that could explode at any moment.’ Al-Bayati continues: ‘The solution lies in returning foreign families to their original countries and emptying the camp entirely,’ pointing out that ‘its continued existence in this form will have significant negative repercussions on stability.’ Al-Bayati calls on the Iraqi government to ‘open a direct dialogue regarding the future of the camp and obtain real guarantees leading to its permanent closure and preventing its impact on the Iraqi interior.’
According to Iraqi observers, this step faces repeated local objections, especially from families, who express concerns about the reintegration of those families into their communities.
