In the northeast corner of Syria, the Al Hol refugee camp is three days away from crisis.
For years, tens of thousands have been stuck in the camp. Al Hol is a sea of tents amid the desert — one that houses the wives, children, and families of Islamic State fighters, along with thousands displaced by Syria’s decade-long war.
For years, organizations funded by USAID and the U.S. Department of State have been responsible for maintaining camps such as Al Hol — providing food, fuel, and essentials for the 40,000 detained there. And for years, experts have warned that if those organizations walk away, the camps will become a recruiting ground for terrorist organizations.