The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said on Friday that some 400,000 Syrians have returned from neighboring countries since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government on December 8 last year. Over the same period, more than one million internally displaced persons (IDPs) inside Syria have also returned, bringing the total number of Syrians who have gone home to over 1.4 million.
More than 14 years of conflict have devastated Syria's economy and infrastructure, leaving 90 percent of the population dependent on humanitarian assistance. More than 16.7 million Syrians - including some 6.5 million children - inside the country are still in need of urgent relief, including food, shelter and health care.
Some 7.4 million Syrians remain internally displaced, while an estimated 5.9 million live as refugees in other countries, ranking Syria as the second-largest displacement crisis after Sudan. Years of conflict have devastated infrastructure across the country, leaving millions without adequate housing, reliable water, electricity and other basic services.
“As the school year ends, summer will be a critical moment for voluntary returns and a window of opportunity not to be missed,” UNHCR spokesperson Céline Schmitt told journalists in Geneva on Friday, speaking from Damascus.
“But to make these returns successful and sustainable, Syrians will need support with shelter, livelihoods, protection and legal assistance – areas in which UNHCR has proven expertise.”
UNHCR said there is a risk that without adequate funding, the projected 1.5 million returns this year may not happen, and those who do return may have no choice but to leave again, noting that support for UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies is critical to stability in Syria.
“The severe funding cuts that UNHCR is facing are putting millions of lives at risk, with nearly 16.7 million people inside Syria – about 90 percent of the population – requiring some form of humanitarian assistance, and over 7.4 million Syrians still internally displaced,” Schmitt said.
“Now is the time to invest in facilitating the return of refugees who have been waiting years for this moment.”
In January, UNHCR outlined an operational framework to support the return of 1.5 million refugees and 2 million IDPs to their homes in 2025. So far, only US$71 million of the $575 million needed for UNHCR's 2025 programs inside Syria has been pledged.
”Without additional funding, we will only be able to help a fraction of those who intend to go back, meaning fewer returning home,” the UNHCR spokesperson said, noting that there has been a significant reduction of donor funding between 2024 and 2025.
To support Syrians in their decision to return home, UNHCR has launched the digital information platform "Syria is Home" to provide timely and impartial information on the return process, including legal procedures, identification documents, access to housing, health care and education.
"Since the fall of the Assad regime, returning home and starting anew has become a possibility for Syrians. With investment in aid and early recovery, we can create opportunities and keep up the hope of Syrians. Seizing this opportunity is our collective responsibility," Schmitt said.
Responding to questions from journalists, the UNHCR spokesperson said that about 80,000 people have left Syria since the fall of the previous regime. Following the severe clashes and large-scale massacres that took place in Syria's coastal areas in early March, an estimated 30,000 people fled the country to reach Lebanon.
On December 8, 2024, Syria experienced a dramatic and historic turn of events when rebel forces took control of the capital Damascus and President Bashar Assad resigned and fled the country after a swift rebel offensive across the country, raising hopes of an end to the 14-year civil war.
The rebel offensive throughout the country, led by the non-state armed group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and supported by other non-state armed groups, led to the capture of other strategic cities in north-west and central Syria, and radically changed the political landscape of the Middle Eastern country.
On March 29, Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa announced the formation of a new government, stressing unity to rebuild the state. According to the new government, key priorities include fighting corruption, revitalizing institutions, and strengthening the economy.
While a new transitional government is now in place, the country remains fragmented among various armed actors. HTS and armed groups under the umbrella of the Syrian National Army (SNA) dominate most of the west and north - including Damascus, Aleppo, and Idlib - while the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) hold parts of the north-east. In the south, various armed groups exercise territorial control.
Other foreign powers continue to exert influence, among them Turkey, Russia, Israel, and the United States. Russia maintains bases on the coast and Israel has expanded the territory under its control, launching hundreds of airstrikes across Syria since December 8 last year in the south-west, the coast, the north-east, Damascus, Hama, and Homs, threatening Syria's fragile political transition.
Ongoing fighting in several parts of Syria continues to leave people living in fear of attacks and at risk of fresh displacement. Humanitarian experts warn that conditions in Syria are "far from fully stable or conducive", raising concerns about premature returns and renewed displacement.
During 14 years of war, Syrian civilians have been subjected to massive and systematic violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. Despite significant political changes in the country in recent months, the people of Syria continue to live through one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world.
Further information
Website: ‘Syria is Home’, provided by UNHCR
https://syriaishome.org/en/