Türkiye reports mass return by Syrians

ANKARA

More than 410,00 Syrians who fled to Türkiye during the rule of Bashar al-Assad have returned home since he was overthrown in December 2024, the Turkish Interior Ministry has announced.

The ministry announced that 411,649 Syrians have returned to date, with the pace of returns accelerating in recent weeks, as the immigration service documented 140,000 returns since mid-June.

In June, Filippo Grandi, the head of the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR), said 600,000 Syrians returned home from neighboring countries.

Around 2.5 million Syrian refugees still live in Türkiye, according to the latest figures, released in early August.

In 2021, Türkiye said up to 3.7 million Syrians had taken refuge in the country.

Days after the fall of the Assad regime, Türkiye reopened a border crossing in Hatay province on Türkiye’s southern frontier with Syria to facilitate the return of refugees.

Last year, Türkiye also announced an initiative labeled as "pioneer migrants." This program allows one family member to conduct up to three round trips prior to permanent resettlement, enabling them to assess living conditions.

Türkiye is providing support to the newly established Syrian administration across multiple areas.

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya earlier said that a migration office would be established in Turkish embassies and consulates in Damascus and Aleppo, enabling Türkiye to share data on refugees with Syria’s new administration.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan directed all ministries in Türkiye to coordinate with their counterparts in Syria’s transitional government, pledging assistance in the reconstruction process, the minister said.