DAMASCUS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said Tuesday it was "compelled" to withdraw from the Al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria, leaving thousands of families linked to Islamic State (IS) militants unguarded and raising fears of a militant resurgence.
In a statement on social media platform X, the SDF blamed "international indifference" for the pullout, saying the global community's failure to take responsibility for the detainees left its forces no choice but to redeploy to northern cities threatened by pro-Damascus factions.
The withdrawal came days after the Syrian interim government and the SDF announced a new ceasefire deal requiring the SDF to retreat east of the Euphrates River and hand over sovereign institutions, including prisons, to the interim government in Damascus. The agreement followed days of intense clashes between the SDF and pro-Damascus forces.
Earlier on Tuesday, the interim government accused the SDF of abandoning the camp without coordinating with Damascus or the U.S.-led coalition fighting the IS. Pro-Damascus forces said they were moving into the area to "restore order" and secure the camp.
Al-Hol has long housed tens of thousands of women and children linked to IS militants. While families live in the camp, thousands of accused fighters are held separately in high-security prisons across the region.
The interim government also alleged that the SDF released some detainees and their families during the withdrawal to exert political pressure using the terrorism issue. Meanwhile, the SDF reported clashes with Damascus-affiliated factions near the camp before the withdrawal and said it repelled an advance near the village of Tal Baroud.
The developments sparked fears of renewed violence and humanitarian fallout. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported more than 15,000 people displaced in recent days. Hundreds of families are fleeing Hasakah for Qamishli and Amuda, seeking shelter in schools and mosques amid shortages of food and heating fuel. ■
