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IS Foreign Women Smuggled Out in Northeastern Syria Camp

Nisan Ahmado

   WASHINGTON - A group of intruders who disguised themselves as security
   forces protecting al-Hol refugee camp in northeastern Syria have helped
   smuggle out several women affiliated with the Islamic State (IS)
   fighters, local authorities told VOA.

   "Some smugglers put on SDF uniforms or security police outfits, and
   they helped some IS women escape the camp for money," said Judy
   Serbilind, who monitors IS female affiliates detained at the
   overcrowded camp.

   Serbilind refused to disclose the number of the escaped women but said
   there were dozens. She said most of them came from outside of Syria,
   particularly from Europe.

   "We believe that they fled to Idlib then to Turkey. We think some of
   them might reach out to the embassies of their countries and some
   (will) stay in Turkey."

   Al-Hol is a makeshift encampment set up for those who were displaced
   during the war against IS in eastern Syrian province of Dir el-Zour.
   The camp's population skyrocketed from about 10,000 refugees in
   December 2018 to over 70,000 by April 2019 following a U.S.-led
   operation that defeated IS from its last stronghold of Baghouz.

   After several escape incidents, fearing a larger attempt by IS to
   infiltrate the camp, Kurdish-led security forces who guard the camp
   promptly increased their numbers around the area, Serbilind told VOA.
   To ease burden on the overloaded camp, management also released dozens
   of Syrian women with IS affiliation to their families and tribes
   provided that their families guarantee they will not go back to the
   militant group.

   According to Human Rights Watch, more than 11,000 of people in the camp
   are foreign women and children related to IS.

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