The Documentary Podcast The women of IS: Part one
Mar 10, 2026
Mina al-Lami, a jihadist media analyst who tracks extremist propaganda. Jiyar Gol, a BBC Persian reporter with on-the-ground experience in northeast Syria. They describe life in the al-Hol tent city. They cover camp conditions, power structures and IS influence. They discuss family separation, child indoctrination, abuses and the transfer of control to Syrian authorities.
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Al-Hol Turned Into A Longterm Tent City
- Al-Hol evolved from a temporary refugee camp into a sprawling tent city housing around 70,000 people, many women and children linked to IS.
- Mohammed Al-Jumaily and Krassi Twigg describe its origins from 1991 and rapid expansion after IS's territorial collapse, creating chronic humanitarian strain.
SDF Became Custodians After IS Collapse
- The SDF detained thousands of fighters' families after IS lost territory, becoming de facto custodians of large camps and prisons.
- Mohammed Al-Jumaily explains many detainees were non-IS refugees originally, complicating security and legal responses.
Camp Life Looked Like A Small Town
- Visitors found Al-Hol resembled a small town with bazaars, tailors and bakeries but limited facilities and many children born there.
- Jiyar Gol recounts children spitting and shouting IS slogans while foreigners were attacked and insulted during visits.