The US has successfully repatriated 11 American citizens and six Canadian children from camps in northeastern Syria. The majority of the repatriated individuals are members of a single American family, while the Canadian group consists entirely of children. Additionally, four Dutch citizens and one Finnish citizen were also repatriated. The camps, Al-Hol and Roj, are currently home to approximately 30,000 individuals from 60 different countries, the majority of whom are children. These camps are managed by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The repatriation effort marks the largest single repatriation of American citizens from Syrian camps to date, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. As part of the repatriation effort, a non-US citizen sibling of one of the American children was also resettled in the US. This brings the total number of repatriated US citizens from Syria to 51. Canada has also repatriated six of its citizens, all of whom are minors. These six siblings have been temporarily settled with one family in Canada. The focus now is on protecting the children's privacy and providing them with the necessary support and care to start their new lives in Canada. The camps in Al-Hol and Roj continue to house approximately 30,000 individuals from various countries, with reports of human rights abuses and poor conditions. Secretary Blinken emphasized that the only sustainable solution to the humanitarian and security crisis in these camps is for countries to repatriate their citizens, provide rehabilitation and reintegration support, and ensure accountability for any wrongdoing [0a79ade8].
Former 'ISIS brides' in northeastern Syria are gradually rebuilding their lives after leaving the Al-Hol camp. One woman, referred to as Om Asma, lives alone with her two children and works odd jobs to earn a living. Her husband is missing, and she faces societal mistrust and stigmatization. Oxygen Shabab, an association, supports the reintegration of these women through workshops, training, and assistance with children's education. So far, 900 families have left the camp for Raqqa, while 243 families still reside there. The association helps protect their identities and is working to obtain identity documents for the women and their children. The reintegration process is challenging due to family separations, isolation, and societal prejudice [dfa68cf7].