UN reports massive return of Syrian refugees following regime collapse

More than one million people, including 800,000 internally displaced individuals and 280,000 refugees, have returned to their homes in Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad, the United Nations (UN) announced on Tuesday.

"Since the fall of the regime in Syria, we estimate that 280,000 Syrian refugees and more than 800,000 internally displaced persons have returned home," said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, in a statement on social media platform X.

However, Grandi warned that initial efforts to help Syria rebuild must be bolder and faster, or people may flee again. "It is now urgent!" he emphasized.

In late January, Grandi had already urged the international community to support Syria’s reconstruction to facilitate the return of millions of displaced people.

"Lift the sanctions, encourage reconstruction. It must be done now, at the beginning of the transition. We are losing time," he stated at a press conference in Ankara following his visits to Syria and Lebanon, before heading to Jordan.

The Syrian government collapsed on December 8, 2024, when a rebel coalition led by the radical Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took control of Damascus, ousting Bashar al-Assad.

In response to the new political landscape, a coalition of twenty Arab and Western countries met in Paris on February 13 and pledged to support Syria’s reconstruction while safeguarding its fragile transition from security threats and foreign interference.

Syria has endured 14 years of brutal conflict, leaving over 500,000 people dead and displacing more than 10 million internally and across borders.

With growing international pressure to stabilize and rebuild the country, the coming months will be crucial in determining whether Syria can recover or if it will face further turmoil and displacement.