AL-HOL CAMP, Syria: Plump fruits, bright slushies, and hair dye - the colourful market in Al-Hol is an unlikely sight in a Syrian camp overflowing with desperate people displaced as the Islamic State group's"caliphate" collapsed.Plastic containers display glowing oranges, fresh tomatoes and large, shiny eggplants.A young girl eyes a series of colourful cakes laid out in a row.
In some cases, children sell second-hand items at Al-Hol's market in a bid to help their families get by. Photo: AFP/Giuseppe Cacace) The scent of freshly baked pastries wafts from a rudimentary stone oven inside the Nour Bakery, where he works.The 24-year-old Iraqi, who has been living in the camp for over a year, says he earns about four dollars a day, which he uses to support his parents and six younger siblings.
Despite the lively market, the camp has been described by residents and international organisations as a humanitarian hell-scape, lacking basic accommodation and medical facilities.