An author who chronicled the internal operations of the camps for ISIS fighters in northern Syria has warned that the Damascus regime is poised take over major facilities.
Azadeh Moaveni, an analyst for the International Crisis Group, said following the Turkish incursion into the country it had become an “open question” whether ISIS prisoners would remain under the control of Kurdish forces.
Amid reports of Syrian army troops and security agents from Damascus visiting the camps in recent days, which Ms Moaveni said were “non-verifiable,” she explained humanitarian groups were preparing for the camps to change hands.
“I know that humanitarian groups are preparing or anticipating the possibility of regime takeover of the camps. So for how long these detainees will remain nominally under the political and security control of the SDF or the YPG is a really open question,” Ms Moaveni said referring to the Syrian Democratic Forces and the People’s Protection Units.
“I think there are a lot of worries, especially in Europe which has the largest number of detainees, that if Damascus takes over the camps these women and children will be used as leverage in the quest for normalisation,” she added speaking at a Chatham House event on the fate of ISIS in north-east Syria.
In the face of an intensifying military offensive by Turkish forces following the US draw down of troops in northern Syria, Kurdish forces struck a deal for protection from the Syrian government. The deal signified a major shift and further cemented Bashar Al-Assad’s grip over Syria.
Ms Moaveni, the author of Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS, said it had been an implicit part of the deal between the two sides that the SDF would continue to guard the detention camps crammed full with prisoners from ISIS families.
“The agreement that they would continue to guard the camps seems to be an implicit part of the SDF agreement with Damascus not an explicit part. So I think this is the worrying thing is that it is subject to change,” she explained.
The window for Western nations in particular to extract the children and families of for ISIS fighters is closing.
In October the European nations of Britain, Belgium, France and Germany said they were looking to use the opportunity offered by a cessation of fighting in northern Syria to repatriate the families of former ISIS fighters from places Al Roj and Al Hol camps, which remain beyond the frontline between Turkish and Kurdish forces.
US officials have estimated some 10,000 ISIS prisoners remain detained in camps in north-eastern Syria. Some 2,000 of those are believed to be foreign fighters.
Did you know?
Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.
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Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model)
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
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Gearbox Nine-speed auto
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
