The escalating tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States are reshaping the security landscape across the Gulf region. At the same time, Syria is undergoing a rapid political transition following the departure of Bashar al-Assad. These developments are weakening the fragile system that once kept thousands of individuals linked to Islamic State (IS) contained in detention camps.

For years, camps such as al-Hol and Roj in northeastern Syria were guarded by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) with support from Western countries, particularly the US. These camps held thousands of former IS fighters, along with their wives and children, hailing from dozens of nations.

Today, that system is under immense strain. As geopolitical tensions intensify and international attention shifts elsewhere, the ability of the SDF to fully control these facilities is weakening. Some detainees have reportedly disappeared, while others are living in surrounding areas with little to no supervision.

For Southeast Asia, this is not merely a distant humanitarian story; it is a security and policy issue that requires urgent attention. Indonesia has the largest number of citizens who traveled to Syria during the rise of IS. Over the past decade, more than 400 Indonesians were recorded in Syrian camps, the majority of whom are women and children. Smaller numbers from Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore were also among those detained.

For many years, these camps functioned as a form of containment. Governments could assume their citizens remained under control in a distant conflict zone, but that assumption is becoming increasingly fragile. Even if these individuals do not return home immediately, the risks do not disappear.

Through social media and encrypted messaging platforms, extremist networks continue to influence vulnerable audiences across borders. The foreign fighter issue is therefore not only about the physical return of individuals but also about the digital spread of extremist narratives.