Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) highlighted the “tragic stories” of children kept in Al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria due to the lack of basic services, healthcare and the increasing violence against them.
In a report issued on Monday under the title ‘Between two fires: danger and desperation in Syria’s Al-Hol camp,’ MSF called on the US-led international coalition and the countries that have citizens kept in the camp to “take responsibility and identify alternative solutions for the people detained in the camp.”
“Despite the violent and unsafe conditions in Al-Hol, and more than three years after more than 50,000 people were moved there, insufficient progress is being made to close the camp,” MSF added.
It indicated that sixty-four percent of the camp’s population are children, and half are younger than 12. The camp is run by the PYD terrorist militia.
“We have seen and heard many tragic stories in Al-Hol detention camp in Syria, including children dying as a result of prolonged delays in accessing urgent medical care, and young boys reportedly forcibly removed from their mothers once they reach around 11 years old, never to be seen again,” says Martine Flokstra, MSF Syria operations manager.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) called on the United Nations and international organizations to step up humanitarian aid so as to alleviate the suffering of the camp’s residents, especially with the approach of winter.
Al-Hol camp houses more than 50,000 people, nearly half of whom are Iraqis. The figure also includes 11,000 people from about 60 countries who live in a separate section in the camp. The camp residents do not have freedom of movement, especially those living in the section for foreigners.
(Source: SOC’s media department)
