Turkey reports mass Syrian returns amid refugee policy changes
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Sunday that 474,018 Syrian refugees have returned to their country since the fall of the Syrian government on Dec. 8, 2024.
In a post on the Turkish platform “En Sosyal,” Yerlikaya stated, “Just as Turkey stood by its Syrian brothers yesterday, it continues to support them today in their voluntary return to their homeland.”
He added that since Dec. 8, 2024, a total of 474,018 Syrians have returned, while the cumulative number of voluntary returns since 2016 has reached 1,213,620.
The minister emphasized that Turkey’s Directorate of Migration Management continues to oversee voluntary return procedures “with great care.”
In late December 2024, Turkey’s Ministry of Interior announced a set of new measures regarding the return of Syrians residing in Turkey, aimed at facilitating their repatriation.