Amnesty calls for repatriation of 27,000 children held at Syrian camp

Amnesty International called Tuesday for the repatriation of at least 27,000 children held in dire conditions at a camp in northeastern Syria.  

"Tens of thousands of children have been arbitrarily deprived of their liberty and exposed to life-threatening and inhumane conditions in al-Hol, northeast Syria’s sprawling camp, their future surrounded by grim uncertainty as governments continue to show a shameful lack of willingness to repatriate them," the London-based human rights organization said.

It underlined that over the past two years, children living in the camp have not had proper access to food, clean water and essential services such as health care and education.

"Increased child labor, violence and murder have severely impacted the growth and development of children," the statement said.

Referring to the interviews of 10 people with knowledge of the situation in the camps, including eight eyewitnesses, Amnesty International said the main section of the camp hosts Syrians and Iraqis, while the camp area known as the Annex – separated from the main camp by a checkpoint – hosts all women and children from third countries other than Iraq.

Children in the Annex are subjected to various forms of forced separation from their caregivers, it said.