Iraqi ISIS-linked families returned from al-Hol want to go home
AL-JADA CAMP, Iraq — Mahiya Zaaim sits in a dim, hot tent with her eight children. Her husband, a member of the Islamic State group (ISIS), and two of her sons, were killed in 2015. She and her children were held in northeast Syria’s al-Hol camp until last month when they were repatriated to al-Jada camp, near Qayyara in Nineveh province.
“Our condition is miserable in al-Jada camp. We cannot accept it. We want to leave these tents. We want the government to do it for us. We want them to help us out. We would like to return to our villages. We are in a really tough situation,” she said.
Zaaim is originally from the Baaj area of western Nineveh province.
About 500 people were brought to al-Jada camp from al-Hol in late May and authorities plan to repatriate another 200 families. There are just under 60,000 people in al-Hol camp, including more than 30,000 Iraqis.
“I live with a child in al-Jada camp. We and our children have all become sick because of this hot weather. We do not see a glimmer of a solution,” said Khadija Mustafa, whose ISIS husband is missing.
Local authorities are worried that some of the returnees still hold onto extremist ideology. In previous interviews, they have shown little remorse for joining ISIS.
The government’s decision to return the ISIS families has been condemned by Yazidis who were victims of ISIS.
Nations are under pressure to take responsibility for their nationals being held in northeast Syria, in insecure and poor conditions in al-Hol camp that could be a breeding ground for terrorism.
Translation by Zhelwan Zeyad Wali
Video editing by Sarkawt Mohammed
“Our condition is miserable in al-Jada camp. We cannot accept it. We want to leave these tents. We want the government to do it for us. We want them to help us out. We would like to return to our villages. We are in a really tough situation,” she said.
Zaaim is originally from the Baaj area of western Nineveh province.
About 500 people were brought to al-Jada camp from al-Hol in late May and authorities plan to repatriate another 200 families. There are just under 60,000 people in al-Hol camp, including more than 30,000 Iraqis.
“I live with a child in al-Jada camp. We and our children have all become sick because of this hot weather. We do not see a glimmer of a solution,” said Khadija Mustafa, whose ISIS husband is missing.
Local authorities are worried that some of the returnees still hold onto extremist ideology. In previous interviews, they have shown little remorse for joining ISIS.
The government’s decision to return the ISIS families has been condemned by Yazidis who were victims of ISIS.
Nations are under pressure to take responsibility for their nationals being held in northeast Syria, in insecure and poor conditions in al-Hol camp that could be a breeding ground for terrorism.
Translation by Zhelwan Zeyad Wali
Video editing by Sarkawt Mohammed