Al-Hawl

Template:Infobox Syrian settlement

al-Hawl (Arabic: الهول, romanized: al-Ḩawl, lit. '"swampland"'), also spelled al-Hol, al-Hool and al-Houl, is a town in eastern al-Hasakah Governorate, northeastern Syria. It is administrative center of the al-Hawl Nahiya consisting of 22 municipalities.

At the 2004 census, the town had a population of 3,409.^[1]

During the Syrian Civil War, al-Hawl was seized by Islamic State forces. For both its strategic significance and its almost uniformly Arab population, it had become one of the major strongholds of the ISIL in northeastern Syria. On 13 November 2015, Al-Hawl was captured by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in what was considered the SDF's first strategic success, since its establishment by People's Protection Units (YPG) and allied forces.^[2]

Geography

The town is located some 40 kilometres (25 mi) east of al-Hasakah, on the southern bank of the dried-out wadi ‘Aţā Allāh. While the wadi has dried out, the spring ‘Ayn al-Hawl, located south of the town, still carries water. Nearby villages include Sheikh Ma'ad with the Sheikh Ma‘ad shrine to the north, just across the wadi.

Infrastructure

North of the town is a significant road junction connecting the provincial capital with the Iraqi border. While the northeastern branch proceeds towards Tall Hamis and the Rabia border crossing, the southeastern branch towards the Sinjar mountains passes through the town southeastwards, reaching the Makhfar Umm Jaris border crossing after some 20 kilometres (12 mi).

The town is surrounded by military bases formerly used by the Syrian Army.

al-Hawl Refugee Camp

In early 1991, during the Gulf war, the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) established a refugee camp on the southern outskirts of al-Hawl, which was operated in cooperation with the Syrian government^[3] Along with another camp in al-Hasakah, provided shelter to at least 15.000 refugees from Iraq.^[4] Following the 2003 Iraq War, the camp was later reopened as one of three camps at the Iraqi–Syrian border, when the US-occupied Iraq forcibly evicted thousands of Palestinians, including those who fled Kuwait at the 1991 Gulf War.^[5]

Syrian Civil War

In the course of the Eastern al-Hasakah offensive of Syrian Kurdish YPG, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant militants were expelled from large swaths of eastern Hasakah, including Tell Hamis and Tell Brak. The southeastern Hasakah countryside around al-Hawl however remained one of the last ISIL strongholds in the province.

When in October 2015, Kurdish YPG and their multiethnic partners, including the Sunni Arab Shammar tribe's al-Sanadid Forces, joined forces to form the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), al-Sanadid leader Bandar al-Humaydi made it an "immediate priority to liberate al-Hawl and Ash Shaddadi from the Islamic State.”^[6]

In late October 2015, following the successful Battle of Hasakah, the SDF launched their al-Hawl offensive slowly advancing southwards from Tell Hamis. On 11 November they seized Khatuniyah and moved on around the lake further southwards to surround al-Hawl from both northeast and south on 12 November.^[7] On 13 November, al-Hawl was captured, in what was considered the SDF's first strategic success.^[8] In the following days, the SDF advanced further westwards to close the remaining ISIL-held pocket around the villages of Abu Hajirat Khuatana and Khuwaytilah.^[9]

References

^ Cite error: The named reference census2004 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Master. "The Syrian Democratic Forces seize the town of al- Hol in the eastern countryside of al- Hasakah". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ Bureau for Refugee Programs, US Department of State (ed.). "World refugee report 1992". p. 158. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
^ Third World Institute, ed. (2005). The World Guide: A View from the South 2005/06. Oxfam. p. 533. ISBN 978-1-904456-11-7.
^ Mohsen Moh'd Saleh (ed.). The Palestinian Strategic Report 2007. Beirut: Al-Zaytouna Center. p. 357. ISBN 978-9953-500-676.
^ Roy Gutman (27 October 2015). "New allies in northern Syria don't seem to share U.S. goals". McClatchy DC. Archived from the original on 14 November 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ "SDF/YPG Offensive In East Hasakah". Retrieved 14 November 2015.
^ Master. "The Syrian Democratic Forces seize the town of al- Hol in the eastern countryside of al- Hasakah". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ "Hasakah front: 1 December 2015". Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-05. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[census2004-1] Cite error: The named reference census2004 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[2] Master. "The Syrian Democratic Forces seize the town of al- Hol in the eastern countryside of al- Hasakah". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[3] Bureau for Refugee Programs, US Department of State (ed.). "World refugee report 1992". p. 158. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)

[4] Third World Institute, ed. (2005). The World Guide: A View from the South 2005/06. Oxfam. p. 533. ISBN 978-1-904456-11-7.

[5] Mohsen Moh'd Saleh (ed.). The Palestinian Strategic Report 2007. Beirut: Al-Zaytouna Center. p. 357. ISBN 978-9953-500-676.

[6] Roy Gutman (27 October 2015). "New allies in northern Syria don't seem to share U.S. goals". McClatchy DC. Archived from the original on 14 November 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[7] "SDF/YPG Offensive In East Hasakah". Retrieved 14 November 2015.

[8] Master. "The Syrian Democratic Forces seize the town of al- Hol in the eastern countryside of al- Hasakah". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[Al-Hawl_offensive_December_map-9] "Hasakah front: 1 December 2015". Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-05. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

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v t e Cities and towns of Syria
Governorate centres	Aleppo Damascus Daraa Deir ez-Zor Hama al-Hasakah Homs Idlib Latakia Quneitra Raqqa Rif Dimashq as-Suwayda Tartus
District centres	Abu Kamal Afrin Arihah Atarib Ayn al-Arab Azaz al-Bab Baniyas Darayya Dayr Hafir Douma Duraykish Fiq al-Haffah Harem Izra' Jableh Jarabulus Jisr ash-Shughur Maarat al-Numaan al-Malikiyah Manbij Masyaf Mayadin Mhardeh al-Mukharram al-Foqani an-Nabk Palmyra Qamishli Qardaha Qatana Qudsaya al-Qusayr al-Qutayfah Ra's al-'Ayn al-Rastan as-Safira Safita Salamiyah Salkhad al-Sanamayn Shahba ash-Shaykh Badr al-Suqaylabiyah Talkalakh al-Tall Tell Abyad al-Thawrah Yabroud Zabadani
Sub-district centres	Abu Qilqil Abu al-Thuhur Akhtarin Amuda Arbeen Arima al-Ariqah al-Arishah Armanaz Arwad al-Asharah Assal al-Ward Awj Ayn al-Fijah Ayn Halaqim Ayn Issa Ayn al-Nasr Babbila Banan Barri Sharqi Beit Jinn Binnish Bir al-Helou Bosra Bulbul Busayrah Da'el al-Dana Darat Izza Darkush al-Darbasiyah Deir Atiyah al-Dimas al-Dumayr Furqlus Ghabaghib Ghandoura al-Ghariyah al-Ghizlaniyah al-Hader Hadidah al-Hajar al-Aswad al-Hajib Hajin al-Hamidiyah al-Hamraa Harasta Harbnafsah Harran al-Awamid al-Hirak Hish Hisyah al-Hawl Huraytan al-Huwash Ibbin Samaan Ihsim Jayrud al-Jalaa al-Janudiyah Jaramana al-Jarniyah Jasim al-Jawadiyah Jubb al-Jarrah Jubb Ramlah Jindires al-Jiza al-Qabu Kafr Batna Kafr Nabl Kafr Takharim Kafr Zita al-Karamah al-Kasrah Kessab al-Khafsah Khan Shaykhun Khasham Kirnaz Kuwayris Sharqi Khanaser Khirbet Ghazaleh Khirbet al-Tin Mahmoud al-Kiswah Ma'arrat Misrin Maabatli Maadan Maaloula Madaya Mahin Malah al-Malihah al-Mansurah Mare' Markada Mashta al-Helu Maskanah al-Masmiyah al-Mazraa Muhambal Muhasan al-Musayfirah al-Mushannaf Muzayrib al-Nashabiyah al-Nasirah Nawa Nubl al-Qadmus al-Qahtaniyah Qalaat al-Madiq Qarah al-Qaryatayn al-Qurayya Qurqania Rajo Rankus Rasm Harmil al-Imam al-Rai al-Riqama al-Ruhaybah al-Saan Saasaa Sabburah al-Sabe' Biyar al-Sabkhah Sadad Sahnaya Saidnaya Salqin Saraqib Sarmin Sarrin Sawran Sebei al-Shaddadah al-Shajara Shaqqa Sharran Shathah Shaykh al-Hadid al-Shaykh Maskin Shayukh Tahtani Shin Sinjar Sirghaya Slinfah Suluk al-Surah al-Saghirah al-Suwar Suran al-Susah al-Sukhnah al-Tabni Talbiseh Taldou al-Tamanah Tasil Tell al-Daman Tell Hamis Tell Rifaat Tell Salhab Tell Tamer Tedef Thiban Uqayribat Urum al-Kubra Wadi al-Oyun al-Yaarubiyah al-Zirbah az-Ziyarah