Turkey Announces Return of Over 175,000 Syrians Since Fall of Assad Regime

By Kardo Roj 

DAMASCUS (North Press) – The Turkish Ministry of Interior announced on Wednesday that 175,512 Syrian refugees have voluntarily returned from Turkey to Syria since the fall of the Assad regime on December 9, 2024.

Speaking at a press conference, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated, “From December 9, 2024, until today, a total of 175,512 Syrians—comprising 33,730 families—have returned to Syria voluntarily, safely, honorably, and in an organized manner.”

Yerlikaya said the pace of returns has significantly increased following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government, which marked a turning point in the Syrian conflict and regional migration dynamics.

Earlier, Yerlikaya also reported that Turkey currently hosts 3,114,099 Syrians under temporary protection (“Kimlik” holders), in addition to 1,125,623 foreign nationals with residence permits and 234,528 people under international protection.

This brings the total number of legally residing foreigners in Turkey to approximately 4,474,250 people.

The Turkish government has long emphasized its intention to facilitate voluntary and safe returns of Syrian refugees as security and political conditions improve in Syria.