U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has issued a decision to halt all American foreign aid, except for funding to Israel and Egypt. The internal memo stated: “No commitment to new funding for any entity or extension of any existing funding will be made until every new or extended funding request is reviewed and approved, in alignment with President Donald Trump’s agenda. The memo also halted all contracts and grants until decisions are made regarding the continuation, modification, or termination of these programs based on this review.”
Engineer Shahla Haji stated that the memo has caused a “humanitarian disaster,” adding: “Three families rely on the income I earn from working with an international organization in Al-Hol camp. This decision shocked us and will create severe economic problems for us, especially given the already dire humanitarian and living conditions. We have no other financial resources. I help my father support my brother’s medical studies in Damascus, contribute to my married sister’s household expenses, and sustain my own home. Clearly, very difficult months lie ahead.”
Over the past three years, 20 groups of Iraqis have left the Al-Hol camp in the Kurdish-controlled region of Syria, most of whom were women and children. Iraqi Minister of Migration and Displacement Karim Al-Nouri previously stated to Iraqi news agencies that “individuals with security files and blood on their hands cannot return to Iraq,” referring to Iraqi nationals in Al-Hol camp.
This repatriation process has left an impact on the Kurdish Yazidi community, which suffered genocide against its men and enslavement of its women and children in Sinjar. Marwan Shesho from Sinjar stated: “The decision to repatriate is an insult to our blood and honor. True, the men will not return, but perhaps their women share in their cowardly acts,” referring to a Frenchwoman accused of enslaving a Yazidi child.
Most of the detainees’ home countries refuse to take responsibility for their citizens. Meanwhile, the Autonomous Administration recently announced in a press conference its readiness to facilitate the voluntary return of Syrians residing in Al-Hol camp to their homes and cities, should they wish to do so.
The main problem is that most cities are destroyed, and the infrastructure cannot support the return of such large numbers. According to civil activist Dirar Al-Asaad from Deir Ezzor, in an interview with Daraj, two groups of Al-Hol residents were previously released through mediation by Arab tribal leaders. Unfortunately, they were not reintegrated, as social norms reject marriage or coexistence with the families of former ISIS fighters. This issue is further complicated by the persistent stigma associating all camp residents with ISIS. The future challenges are vast, ranging from questions of children’s lineage, education, and nationality to their integration into society.
Despite humanitarian aid efforts, conditions in the camp remain bleak. Ruqaya Al-Hassan, a resident of Al-Hol, told Daraj: “The children of ISIS families have grown into young adults, and some can now have children themselves. They have been raised without education and in complete deprivation. The organization’s eyes are always watching them, despite the separation of men from women to prevent brainwashing attempts carried out by ISIS women within the camp.”
Various international humanitarian organizations and local NGOs operate in the camp, focusing on relief efforts, protection programs, livelihood support, social cohesion, conflict resolution dialogues, water and sanitation projects, and the provision of daily water and bread. The vast majority of these programs rely on U.S. funding, meaning that three key sectors will be directly impacted by the State Department’s decision:
The workforce—around 30,000 employees working in organizations operating in Al-Hol camp and across northeast Syria.
The camp’s residents, who depend on aid for essentials like bread and water.
The Autonomous Administration itself, which will likely struggle to meet the growing needs.
A senior official in the Autonomous Administration, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated: “The funding halt will place the administration in a serious predicament regarding the provision of essential supplies. It will also increase the risks of extremism and violence while leading to significant financial losses. A tax was imposed on NGO salaries, ranging from $3 to $7, which will now be lost. Additionally, cutting off funding to organizations supporting ISIS families will create serious problems, especially since the salaries of many Al-Hol camp guards are funded by these international organizations.”
Security Concerns
Daraj spoke with Sheikhmos Ahmad, head of the Office for Displaced Persons and Refugee Affairs in North and East Syria, regarding this decision. He stated that it “has negatively impacted the humanitarian, living, and security conditions in the camps, especially Al-Hol and Roj, which house ISIS families. There will be security vulnerabilities that extremist cells in the camp will exploit, in addition to economic and humanitarian deterioration.”
He added: “This decision will paralyze camps supported by organizations funded by the U.S. State Department, allowing terrorist cells to regain a foothold. While some organizations have coordinated with the Autonomous Administration to mitigate the impact, it is clear that the next three months will bring significant challenges in meeting daily and monthly needs.”
Risks of the Decision
In an interview with Daraj, Kurdish researcher Baraa Sabri stated: “Those involved in humanitarian work received news of the U.S. funding cut with great concern—not just because of the reduction in activities, but also due to the possibility of a prolonged suspension. This could hinder the implementation of effective programs in these already fragile regions, which suffer from prolonged economic, social, and political instability caused by years of war, sanctions, and governance failures.”
Sabri added that while humanitarian organizations “may not have been able to achieve much in Syria, their cessation will undoubtedly exacerbate the crisis. Relying on the new government in Damascus to bridge this gap is overly optimistic. Displaced persons’ aid programs will be among the most affected. Moreover, extremist groups that thrive on chaos, poverty, and political and social collapse will capitalize on this situation and break out of the stagnation imposed on them by stabilization efforts.”
He continued: “It may be necessary to explain these consequences to funding entities in an attempt to lessen the impact of the decision while finding alternative solutions to ensure continued humanitarian efforts.”
Meanwhile, Darwish Darwish (a pseudonym), 39, who oversees dialogue facilitation in community cohesion and livelihood projects at an organization operating in Al-Hol, fears losing his job should NGOs return due to his statements. He said: “NGOs have provided everything for this region. Without them, the Autonomous Administration would have been unable to support displaced people and camp residents. However, can we say that these organizations have laid the foundation for stability or self-reliance in case their work ceases? The answer is definitely no. The biggest disaster is the strong association between NGOs and food aid, as they have failed to instill a mindset of civic engagement or independent work and volunteering.”
Others interviewed by Daraj who have worked with U.S.-funded humanitarian organizations attributed the recent decision to three main factors:
Widespread corruption within these organizations, leading to speculation that the funding cut will remove corrupt figures should NGOs resume operations.
Despite extensive support, these organizations have remained confined to emergency aid and temporary assistance, failing to encourage beneficiaries to transition from dependency to self-sufficiency.
Misguided narratives presented by some research personnel within these organizations.
Clearly, difficult days lie ahead, adding to the fragile security and deteriorating economic conditions. The region is heading into an uncertain future, with escalating risks of extremism and violence.
