News Center- The General Command of Internal Security Forces in North and East Syria has issued a statement and announced the launch of the second phase of the “Humanitarian and Security Operation” in al-Hol Camp. The statement was read in Arabic and Kurdish by Elî El Hesen and Vejîn Êlan, members of the General Command of the Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria.

The statement is as follows:

It is well known to local and international public opinion the constant escalated threat of the al-Hol camp, which has turned into a hotbed for ISIS cells, an environment for recruiting and attracting new terrorists, and a center for promoting radical terrorist propaganda in Syria, Iraq, and the world. The threat to the camp has become quite clear, as the terrorist cells have escalated recently the terrorist acts against the camp residents, the NGOs volunteers, and the Internal Security Forces members. In addition, the repeated escape attempts and the scheme of outside attacks on the camp were failed by our security and military forces.

Taking over the Hol camp was the second target of ISIS' recent failed attack on al-Sina’a prison in Hasaka. In conjunction with the attack on the prison, the terrorist cells inside and outside the camp attempted many times to attack the camp by digging new holes in the security walls and gates in the corridor connecting the eastern parts of Syria to the Iraqi border, outside of Syrian and the Turkish border. Although our SDF have failed the dangerous scheme, it still poses a threat to the camp.

44 residents, including women and children, were killed

This year, the ISIS terrorist cells and families in the camp carried out 43 terrorist acts, killing and executing 44 residents, including 14 women and 2 children, by using guns, silenced pistols, and sharp objects, after torturing the victims and throwing their bodies in the sewage. In addition, the camp witnessed 14 attempts of abduction, arson attacks while the residents were sleeping. The materials of medical institutions and public services were destroyed and they attempted to demolish the protection walls of the camp.

It is quite clear that the terrorist acts in the camp have increased with the escalation of the Turkish threats against NE Syria. According to the available statistics, the terrorist acts in the camp have increased clearly in the recent months when Turkey has escalated its aggressions against our regions to strike the security and stability. According to the confessions of the arrested terrorists, the ISIS cells are led, directed, and financed by terrorist leaders hiding in the Turkish-occupied areas.

There is no doubt that our forces have provided great sacrifices to decrease the threat of ISIS cells in the camp, failing many terrorist acts by conducting regular security operations. Our forces reiterated their respect and compliance with the international laws of human rights despite the exceptional circumstances and the fact that ISIS is taking advantage of the humanitarian circumstances in the camp by hiding among women and children using tunnel networks that were uncovered by our forces.

The lack of a clear international plan

The lack of a clear international plan to solve this problem, the non-repatriation of foreign nationals by their countries, and the lack of effective and adequate support to our forces and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria have aggravated the threat of the camp to its residents, its surroundings, and the efforts to the enduring defeat of terrorism. In this sense, we hold the international community responsible for the recent dangerous situation in the camp by condoning the finance networks linking the terrorist cells in the camp with their leaders in the Turkish-occupied areas.

Second phase of the operation

On this basis, we, the Internal Security Forces of NE Syria, announce launching the second phase of the Humanitarian and Security Operation with the support of the SDF and the international coalition against ISIS, to determine the ISIS terrorist cells in the Hol camp, drain the resources of ISIS, and save the residents from ISIS terrorism.

Call for support from all the concerned countries

This long-awaited operation was delayed due to the recent Turkish attacks. The region and the world will face many security problems if we do not act immediately. Thus, we call on all the concerned countries and organizations to support us in our operation and support the camp residents until achieving the goals of the operation. We state once again that we will comply with international humanitarian law and human rights during the operation.”