Thread by @RojavaIC

[ON THE GROUND]

#Baghouz, Deir-ez-Zor

Today 2 of our researchers visited the initial processing point for those leaving Baghouz, the last hold-out of #ISIS

Men are assumed to be militants pending investigation and taken into custody while women and children are sent to the Al-Hol camp in Heseke

2 #Yezidi women, their 5 children, and 11 #Yezidi orphans were liberated by #SDF forces. They spent the past 5 years enslaved in Syria after being captured by ISIS in Shengal. The youngest children were born inside the so-called caliphate

According to our observations and corroborating sources we estimate between 4500 and 6000 people exited the camp yesterday between two different convoys. Today we understand very few left but couldn't confirm exact figures

One civil volunteer working with the autonomous administration said that he as been told by one of the men that they [ISIS militants] were "sending women and children away to be able to fight without obstacles, that they would win and reinstall the ISIS flag in Raqqa"

The volunteer explained to us that they were here to help with the removal of people from Baghouz and to provide them with food, water and medical care until their arrival in Al-Hol camp. The SDF were helping in large numbers, most of them occupied with processing and searching

Some children were starving and we witnessed some clearly close to death. One infant died in its mother's arms while we were there. Few elderly women could be seen but those present were also in a particular dire state. Many of these families owned nothing but their clothes

The contrast was stark with other families seeming much more healthy, carrying a lot of bags, especially MOLLE-style military backpacks. Some women were clearly wearing military jackets from their husbands

We heard that food was being sold high price inside #Baghouz, confirming previous reports about amplification of a rigid class system while situation is getting hard inside the ISIS holdout

Among the women a lot of Iraqi and Turkish citizens. We got confirmation of presence of women from Tunisia, Belgium, Uzbekistan, Canada, America, Russia, the UK, Australia, France, and Germany

At one point we witnessed the SDF discover and arrest a man who had disguised himself in women's clothing in an attempt to escape custody. Security is tight at the camp, provided by multiple constituent groups of the SDF on foot, in technicals, and humvees and observing by drones

We also noted #coalition vehicles travelling in the same direction as the convoy of men leaving the camp. French, British and American military forces and intelligence agencies have been monitoring arrivals at the camps and have a significant presence on the ground

There are still thousands of people inside the enclave, among them many yazidis. SDF commanders maintain their line about waiting for extraction before final assault. We couldn’t get any official confirmation about the presence of hostages and eventual negociations.

Confirmation today, Sunday 24th February, that no more people were received from #Baghouz