Al Hol Camp's Reintegration Challenge Shows ISIS’ Enduring Impact

In this video, originally posted by the U.S. Institute of Peace on September 5, 2023, Sarhang Hamasaeed talks about how the al-Hol camp in Syria had become a symbol of the Islamic State’s enduring impact in the region. While most of the 53,000 people still lived in the camp in 2023— half of which were children under the age of 11 — did not choose to live under ISIS, their reintegration into society remained stalled, in part over their perceived affiliation with the extremist group. Hamasaeed discusses why the stigma around those living in al-Hol only served to increase their isolation and vulnerability to malign influence, as well as how the Institute had worked with Iraqi government and community leaders to overcome the practical challenges associated with reintroducing displaced people into society.