Syria takes al-Hol camp as Kurdish forces withdraw, Finns among detainees

The Syrian government has assumed control of the al-Hol detention camp in the northeast after Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) withdrew amid clashes. A four-day ceasefire has been agreed between the two sides, allowing time for consultations on the future of Hasakah province.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria’s interim president, announced an “understanding” with the SDF following the withdrawal from the camp that holds tens of thousands of detainees, most of them women and children with alleged links to Islamic State (IS). Under the agreement, SDF forces are granted four days to develop a plan for integrating their territories into state institutions.