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Over 175,000 Syrian refugees return from Turkiye since December

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News Websites
16 Apr 2025 20:34

Over 175,000 Syrian refugees have voluntarily returned from Turkiye since the fall of Syria's longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in December, the interior ministry confirmed.

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Syrians cross into Syria from Turkiye at the Oncupinar border gate, near the town of Kilis, southern Turkiye, on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024 (AP)

More than 175,000 Syrians who had taken refuge in Turkiye have returned to their homeland following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus last December, according to the Turkish interior ministry.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Wednesday that 175,412 Syrian refugees had returned voluntarily between December 9 and April 13. Despite the recent wave of returns, nearly 2.8 million Syrian refugees remain in Turkiye.

The Turkish government is aiming to speed up repatriation efforts to address domestic tensions linked to the prolonged presence of refugees in several regions.

According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), around 400,000 Syrians have returned from neighboring countries since the change in leadership in Damascus. The agency also reported that more than one million Syrians internally displaced by the crisis have made their way back to their homes.

Turkiye says Syria not a threat to 'Israel'

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is planning a visit to Syria, and officials are currently working to finalize appropriate dates, Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced on Sunday.

Turkiye's ambassador to Damascus, Burhan Koroglu, said Erdogan’s visit may take place in the near future, noting that coordination on the Syrian file is ongoing between Turkish and Russian officials through regular delegation meetings.

Koroglu also referred to ongoing “technical” talks between Turkiye and "Israel" in Azerbaijan aimed at avoiding potential clashes in Syrian airspace. He emphasized that “Syria does not pose a threat to Israel, and Israeli attacks are unacceptable.”

The Turkish ambassador reiterated that his country is committed to supporting Syria in defending itself and noted that certain understandings have already been reached in this regard, describing Israel as “an aggressor state in the region.”