UN migration agency says nearly 750,000 internally displaced Syrians returned home

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Friday that almost 750,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have returned to their places of origin in Syria since November.

In a first such report on Syria since 2022, the agency said one in five displaced people in Syria -- primarily from Idlib, Aleppo and Hama -- are residing in tents or makeshift shelters under harsh living conditions, according to its Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM).

The report said that about 28% of those who returned to their places of origin are residing in damaged or unfinished buildings. Meanwhile, some 7 million remain displaced within the country.

"Syria remains a major humanitarian crisis, and the needs are immense," IOM Director General Amy Pope said in a statement.

As it re-establishes its presence in Damascus, IOM is reactivating its data collection operations in Syria to address information gaps about humanitarian needs and mobility and enhance coordination with UN partners and local communities.

The report highlighted a notable decline in displacement since mid-December 2024, with return movements intensifying in January following the ousting of Bashar Al-Assad’s government.

Since January 2024, a total of 571,388 individuals have returned to Syria from abroad, of whom 259,745 returned to the country after November 2024, the data showed.

About 76% of arrivals from abroad returned to their place of origin, while 50% of Syrians returning from outside the country came from Lebanon, 22% from Türkiye and 13% from Iraq.