Syria - Türkiye estimates that more than 410,000 refugees have returned to Syria since the fall of Assad.

MADRID, 14 (EUROPA PRESS)

Turkish authorities reported Thursday that more than 410,000 Syrian refugees who were previously in Turkey have returned to their home country since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024 following a lightning offensive by rebel and jihadist forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

The Turkish Interior Ministry's migration management office has estimated that 411,649 Syrians have returned to their country since December 8, 2024 – the day Al Assad fled to Russia – while the number of Syrians who have returned voluntarily since 2016 amounts to more than 1.1 million, according to a post on its X social media profile.

Ankara has assured that "every stage of the voluntary, safe, dignified, and orderly repatriation process is carried out in full cooperation with all relevant organizations" and that "every detail of this process, from registration procedures to transportation planning, is planned with dignity."

So far, the Turkish government, which supports the new Syrian authorities, has emphasized its desire to expedite the process of returning these refugees to Syria to avoid escalating internal tensions, particularly at the socioeconomic level.

HTS leader and Syria's new transitional president, Ahmed al-Shara, formerly known as Abu Mohamed al-Golani, has repeatedly called on refugees to return to help rebuild the country. The new Syrian government has called for the lifting of sanctions and promised to work toward a peaceful transition.

At the same time, he has pledged to defend minority rights, amid international concerns about the risk of repressive policies stemming from the role of jihadists at the helm of the country, mired in a deep humanitarian crisis after nearly fourteen years of conflict.