DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Iraq’s National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji met Thursday with Brig. Gen. Olivier Celo, director of civil-military cooperation in the US-led Global Coalition to Combat ISIS, to discuss the ongoing efforts to repatriate Iraqi families from northeastern Syria.

The meeting, held in Baghdad, addressed regional developments and reviewed progress in the joint efforts between the Iraqi government and the coalition, particularly the return of thousands of Iraqis from Syria’s al-Hol camp to Iraq’s Jadaa camp for rehabilitation and reintegration.

Araji emphasized the Iraqi government’s commitment to repatriating all of its citizens currently in northeastern Syria. Both sides discussed plans to accelerate the return process and accommodate a larger number of families in the coming period.

Selo praised Iraq’s repatriation efforts as a “unique experience” that could serve as a model for other countries in the region and beyond.

The meeting was part of broader cooperation between Iraq and the international coalition on humanitarian and security-related initiatives.

Iraq has been steadily repatriating its citizens from Syria’s al-Hol camp, one of the most volatile and overcrowded camps in the region. On May 31, approximately 840 individuals from 224 Iraqi families were returned to Iraq in a coordinated effort between the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria and Iraq’s Migration and Displacement Committee.

This marks the ninth such operation in 2025. The transfers, conducted under strict security by the Assayish and monitored by the Global Coalition, come as Iraq accelerates its repatriation efforts amid regional shifts, including the collapse of the Assad regime and a US military realignment in northeastern Syria. Al-Hol still holds over 13,000 Iraqis, along with thousands of displaced Syrians and foreign nationals linked to ISIS.