Over 400,000 Syrians have migrated back from Turkey to Syria since December.
In a recent development, the Turkish Ministry of the Interior announced the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland. The pace of return has accelerated significantly in the summer of 2021, primarily due to Turkey's efforts to facilitate and support voluntary returns.
This acceleration comes amidst changing political dynamics, including the eventual fall of the Assad regime and the reopening of border crossings. Turkey has launched organized programs such as the “pioneer migrants” initiative, allowing families to test living conditions before permanently resettling, with extensive coordination between Turkish authorities and Syria’s transitional government to ensure safe, dignified returns.
Key factors driving the increase in returns include political changes, border reopening, voluntary return programs, reconstruction support, and increased returns recorded. The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Turkey’s support for a new Syrian administration, and the reopening of border crossings have created a more stable environment perceived as suitable for return.
Turkey operates dedicated return centers and procedures that handle all stages of return, including documentation, transportation, and reception, preserving refugee dignity and safety. Furthermore, Turkey has pledged support to Syria’s reconstruction through coordination between Turkish ministries and Syria's transitional government, encouraging returnees with promises of aid and stability.
By summer 2021, around 411,000 Syrians had returned to Syria from Turkey since 2016, with about 140,000 returns documented since mid-June 2021 alone. Despite ongoing instability and outbreaks of violence in Syria, the organized framework and political developments have helped many Syrian refugees assess conditions as relatively safer and supported the decision to return.
However, the new Islamist government in Damascus is being questioned regarding its ability to protect the rights of all Syrians and pacify the country, particularly in light of recent attacks on religious minorities.
As of now, approximately 2.5 million Syrian refugees currently live in Turkey, according to official figures. The total number of Syrian refugees returning is 411,649, as announced by the Turkish Ministry of the Interior. The return of Syrians is a recent development, with most occurring in the summer. The exact location of the return was not specified in the announcement. The announcement was made on Thursday.
- Amidst the recent Increase in returns of Syrian refugees, the Turkish Commission has also adopted proposals for directives, including one on the protection of animals and the processing of personal data, relevant to the handling and documentation of returning refugees.
- As the Syrian conflict seems to be shifting from general news to political discussions, with the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime and the rise of a new Islamist government in Damascus, war-and-conflicts news has become intertwined with politics.
