IDPs in Idlib face barriers to return despite regime collapse

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, refugees in northern Syria are being encouraged to return to their homes. However, many cannot do so due to widespread destruction and economic hardship.

Anwar Abdullateef, Kurdistan24's correspondent in Idlib city, visited the Idlib camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) to assess the situation firsthand. Speaking with the camp residents, Abdullateef encountered a resident from Hama who has spent the past 12 years in the camp.

“We cannot return because our houses have all been destroyed,” the man explained. “I have lived in this camp for about 12 years because of the regime. We live in misery, endure cold, and face shortages of oil and other essential supplies.”

He also noted that those who have returned often find themselves living in tents due to the collapse of their homes and the lack of available shelter.

Humanitarian organizations report that approximately 1.9 million people remain displaced in camps along the border of Idlib province, in areas controlled by armed groups. The ongoing impacts of the Syrian civil war have prevented many from returning to their hometowns, leaving them in limbo in makeshift settlements.

As Syria grapples with the aftermath of years of conflict, the prospect of safe and sustainable resettlement for refugees remains uncertain.