Türkiye Says More Than 1.3 Million Syrian Refugees Have Voluntarily Returned Home
Türkiye’s Interior Minister announced that 1,366,215 Syrians have voluntarily returned home since 2016, while the number under temporary protection has declined to 2,371,412.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Türkiye’s Interior Minister has announced updated figures on Syrian refugees who have left Turkish territory and returned to their homeland over recent years, stating that more than one million have gone back voluntarily since 2016.
Mustafa Ciftci, Türkiye’s Interior Minister, released new statistics regarding Syrians who departed Türkiye and returned to Syria.
He stated that since 2016, the number of Syrian nationals who have voluntarily returned to Syria has reached 1,366,215 individuals. He described those who returned as “ambassadors of Türkiye’s goodwill” in their country.
Addressing the broader migration file, Ciftci emphasized that “irregular migration” is among the most dangerous security challenges at the global level. He noted that due to Türkiye’s geographical position, the country has become a major and significant transit route in migration processes.
The interior minister reiterated that the Turkish government will continue confronting irregular migration, stressing that the process is carried out with full respect for “human dignity and religious and cultural values.”
According to data from Türkiye’s Directorate of Migration Management, the number of Syrians under temporary protection steadily increased between 2011 and 2021, reaching its highest level in 2021 at 3,737,369 individuals. However, based on the latest data, the number of Syrians currently living in Türkiye has decreased to approximately 2,371,412.
The announcement comes days after preparations were finalized for the first organized return of displaced residents from Afrin in Western Kurdistan. According to a source familiar with the matter, around 400 internally displaced families from Hasakah and Qamishlo are set to return to Afrin within ten days under an understanding between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian government, with Damascus pledging to ensure their safety upon arrival.
With voluntary returns surpassing one million and the overall protected population declining, Ankara’s latest figures highlight an ongoing shift in Syria-related migration dynamics.