ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United States on Thursday thanked Spain for repatriating two of its nationals with suspected ties to the Islamic State (ISIS) from a displacement camp in northeastern Syria (Rojava), and praised the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) for facilitating the process.
"With U.S. government assistance, Spain repatriated one woman and one child from the Roj displaced persons camp in northeast Syria on Tuesday, November 25," the U.S. Department of State said in a statement.
The State Department noted that around 11,600 individuals from more than 70 non-Syrian countries remain in the al-Hol and Roj camps, the majority of them children under 12. Of this total, approximately 3,700 are nationals of over 30 European countries.
Most camp residents were captured by the SDF and the U.S.-led global coalition during the military campaign that brought about ISIS’s territorial defeat in 2019.
"The only durable solution to the humanitarian and security challenges in northeast Syria is for countries of origin to repatriate, rehabilitate, reintegrate, and, where appropriate, hold their nationals accountable for past acts," the statement added.
The US emphasized that repatriating foreign nationals from camps under Kurdish administration helps reduce the risk of an ISIS resurgence and contributes to a more stable future for Syria.
Washington also thanked the SDF for "assistance in facilitating this repatriation and their commitment to ensuring the enduring defeat of ISIS."
Kurdish authorities in Rojava have long urged countries to repatriate their citizens. Iraq, in particular, has been praised for its ongoing efforts to bring home its nationals from the camps.
Roj camp houses families considered less dangerous than those in al-Hol.
According to figures published last week by Sheikhmous Ahmed, who oversees refugee and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Rojava, Roj camp holds 2,294 people, including 55 Syrians, 75 Iraqis, and the rest from other countries.
Al-Hol, located near Hasaka city, is notorious for its harsh conditions and is frequently described as a breeding ground for extremism.