Kurdish officials have warned that a resurgent Islamic State could be on the horizon if the US follows through with planned aid cuts to Syria’s detention camps. The cuts, scheduled to take effect on Monday, would cripple essential services in al-Hol and al-Roj camps, which house thousands of IS detainees and their families.
Blumont, the US-based humanitarian group managing the camps, was initially ordered to halt operations on January 24 but received a two-week waiver, now set to expire. Jihan Hanan, director of al-Hol camp, warned that the suspension of aid could leave detainees without basic necessities.
The camp, mainly housing women and children, has long been criticized for inhumane conditions. While detainees have not been formally charged, they remain confined, with foreign nationals only released if their home countries agree to repatriation. Officials warn that IS ideology persists in these camps, with reports of women attempting to uphold extremist beliefs and children engaging in violent behaviour.
US administration, led by President Donald Trump, imposed a 90-day global aid freeze, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio granting exceptions for “life-saving assistance.” However, the aid groups and Kurdish authorities are still unsure of what to expect in the future. A short-lived suspension of aid in January had caused major disruptions, with camp officials scrambling to obtain emergency food supplies at exorbitant prices.
Under already dire humanitarian conditions, Kurdish leaders fear that IS sleeper cells will take advantage of the situation in case the continued aid is halted, which would result in unrest or attacks. Uncertainty regarding the future presence of US troops in Syria looms large and further complicates security concerns; prison officials say any US withdrawal will result in jailbreaks and increased IS activity in the region.