More than 7,500 Syrian refugees have returned home, say Turkish authorities
Dec 16, 2024
Damascus [Syria], December 16: More than 7,500 refugees have returned to Syria from Turkey since the regime of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad was toppled last week, according to Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
More than 1,000 Syrians had crossed the border daily from Monday up to and including Friday, he wrote on social media platform X late on Saturday. Smaller numbers had already crossed between December 6 and December 8, Yerlikaya said.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) counted 3,000 returnees on the Turkish-Syrian border up to Friday. Turkey has taken in the largest number of Syrian refugees fleeing the civil war that began in 2011. According to UN figures, around 3 million Syrians live in the country. Those returning home lose their right to remain in Turkey on crossing the border.
Source: Qatar Tribune
