Three Iraqi refugees found dead at northeast Syria camp in just one week

A 23-year-old man was found dead on Friday at Al-Hol camp in northeast Syria, the third Iraqi refugee to have been found dead at the facility for Islamic State-linked detainees in the space of a week.

The body of Atallah Antar Hayis was found at the camp in Hasakah province with what looked to be gunshot wounds to the head, a source close to the local Kurdish-led security forces told The New Arab's sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

The source, who did not want to be named for security reasons, said the questioning of camp residents and a detailed investigation into the cause of death was being carried out by the security forces.

Earlier this week, a man and a woman were found in their tent at the camp with gunshot wounds to their bodies, local media outlet North Press Agency reported.

Iraqis make up one of the biggest groups by nationality at the camp, which has a population of approximately 60,000. Some have been sent back to Iraq.

There have been 59 murders at the camp since the beginning of 2021, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Kurdish-led security forces have conducted raids at the camp to eradicate the IS sleeper cells it holds responsible for the murders, but the killings have continued.

Northeast Syria's administration has pleaded with countries that have nationals held at Al-Hol camp to repatriate them.