Finland 2026

20/01/2026: The Kurdish armed group Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) which governed the autonomous region of Rojava located in Northern Syria, withdrew from the al-Hol camp where thousands of IS family members were detained. Kurdish groups fought with Damas forces advancing into Rojava to forcefully reintegrate the region into the Syrian State. Syrian Government forces accused SDF guards of abandoning the camp thus allowing the detainees to escape and pose a new security threat by joining IS. A dozen of Finnish prisonners, mostly mothers and their children, were still detained in the camp. Despite Syrian Government forces to take control of the camp in order to prevent any escape, local situation is still unclear. According to Ilhan Ahmed, who is responsible for Rojava's foreign relations, the Kurds have no information about the situation of the Finns or other foreigners who were in al-Hol. (Source)

30/01/2026: Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns that the planned transfer of up to 7,000 IS-linked prisoners from Northeastern Syria to Iraq will affect European and Finnish security. Since Damas is now attempting to forcefully reclaim the region, security prospectives are now uncertain. According to Jussi Tanner, Head of Consular Affairs, the collapse of Kurdish control over detention centers marks a major turning point. Although Finland is not aware of any Finnish citizens among those transferred, authorities cannot be fully certain due to incomplete identification data. It is implied that Finnish detainees may have been eliminated in the clashes between Kurdish and Damas forces, but no conclusive evidence may support such assertion. From Finland’s perspective, the situation is especially problematic because detainees will switch from the custody of a non-State Kurdish administration to the legal jurisdiction of Iraq, a sovereign State that implements the death penalty. If Finnish nationals were involved, Finland would be legally required to intervene, creating serious legal and diplomatic challenges. Concerns are heightened by Iraq’s record of mass convictions and executions following trials criticized for failing to meet international standards. Tanner stresses that security risks extend beyond geography: extremist ideologies can spread across borders, including to Finland, through online networks and radicalization. Finland continues to monitor the fate of remaining detention camps, including al-Hol, where about a dozen Finns, mother and children were detained according to last data. While some children have been repatriated in the past, Finland does not consider itself obligated to return adult fighters. Finnish authorities are maintaining close contact with Syrian, Iraqi, and Kurdish actors but acknowledge that the situation is largely outside Finland’s control. The Government is preparing for potential security impacts in the coming weeks. (Source)

04/02/2026: The Syrian Government reportedly plans to close the al-Hol and Roj camps in Northeastern Syria, though no official confirmation has been issued, and the future of the camps’ 28,000 inhabitants, around 8,000 of whom are foreigners, remains uncertain. The camps have long suffered from overcrowding, inadequate administration, and daily violence, including the presence of active IS cells. The UN recently assumed administrative responsibilities in al-Hol, highlighting ongoing challenges in registration, security, and humanitarian provision. Among the foreign nationals are a small number of Finnish citizens, mostly minors. Jussi Tanner, Head of Consular Affairs at the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, noted that Finland has received no notification from Syria but would ensure safe and controlled repatriation if required. Tanner also observed that many remaining Finns represent “the most difficult cases”, having previously declined any possibility to return. This is reminiscent of "Jonna", a Finnish woman who settled in IS so-called Caliphate back in 2015 and refused to be repatriated to Finland as she expressed hopes that IS will rise again in the region when she was interviewed in 2019. Although she and her children were allegedly still alive, their whereabouts are currently unknown since the clashes that recently occured between Kurdish and Damas forces around the camps. 

Finnish Supo warned about the threat posed by returnees as soon as 2019, noting that those who stayed longer in the conflict zone may be more ideologically committed. This assessment remains unchanged. To date, 26 children, nine women, and one man have returned to Finland. Preliminary investigations were reportedly ongoing in March 2025, but no charges have been filed. Experts, including Sofia Koller of the Counter Extremism Project, suggest that the Syrian transfer of camp administration could enable European States, including Finland, to repatriate nationals, allowing for legal processing, risk assessment, and structured rehabilitation. Prior European returns indicate that reintegration can be cautiously successful, and major terrorist threats have not materialized despite initial concerns. (Source)