UNHCR urges global support as 1 million Syrians return after Assad’s fall
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) announced on Wednesday that one million Syrians have returned to their country in the nine months following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime on Dec. 8, 2024.
In a press release, the UNHCR said that one million refugees and 1.8 million internally displaced people (IDPs) have gone back to their areas of origin, reflecting what the agency described as “the great hope and high expectations” Syrians have in the wake of the political transition.
Despite this wave of returns, the agency warned that those going home face immense challenges, including destroyed infrastructure, limited services, volatile security, and scarce job opportunities.
It added that more than seven million Syrians remain displaced inside the country, while over 4.5 million live abroad.
Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, called the situation “a rare opportunity to resolve one of the largest displacement crises in the world,” urging the international community, private sector, and Syrian diaspora to intensify efforts to ensure sustainable and dignified returns.
“This is not the time to cut back support for the Syrian people and their push for a better Syria,” UNHCR said.