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العربية
Yesterday, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) arrested 19 displaced persons from the Al-Mahmoudli camp in the western countryside of Raqqa. According to activists, the detainees are originally from the countryside of Deir Ezzor.
Activists reported that the arrests were made on charges of planning a mass escape from the camp, which houses civilian IDPs (internally displaced persons) from the Syrian Badia (desert region) and the Deir Ezzor countryside, who were displaced by the former regime.
SDF forces are preventing these families from returning to their areas in the Deir Ezzor countryside and the Syrian Badia, under the pretext that these regions are unsafe. They have also imposed a strict security cordon to prevent people from leaving the camp or its surroundings.
Most medical and logistical NGOs and organizations ceased their support to the camp four months ago. These organizations left after their funding from the United Nations and donors was cut off, worsening the suffering of camp residents.
Over the past few days, dozens of families have tried to leave the camp to return to their villages and towns in the Deir Ezzor countryside and eastern Homs countryside, with the help of local smugglers. However, these attempts failed due to the heavy security presence of SDF forces in the area.
