DAMASCUS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said Tuesday it was "compelled" to withdraw from Al-Hol Camp, which houses families of Islamic State (IS) militants, citing "international indifference" to the threat posed by the group.
In a statement posted on X, the SDF said the global community's failure to take responsibility left its forces with no choice. The SDF said its personnel had redeployed to areas near cities in northern Syria facing growing risks from pro-Damascus forces.
Earlier on Tuesday, the interim authority in Damascus said SDF guards abandoned the camp in northeastern Syria, allowing detainees to escape.
Al-Hol primarily houses women and children related to IS members, while thousands of accused militants are held separately in prisons across northeastern Syria.
The development came amid heightened tensions despite an agreement signed Sunday between the interim authority and the SDF that includes a ceasefire, the withdrawal of SDF forces to east of the Euphrates River, and the transfer of key sovereign institutions, including detention facilities, to state control. ■
