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Key Points

The UN refugee agency reports significant progress with 850,000 Syrians returning home since December. UNHCR has expanded assistance programs to ensure returns are voluntary and dignified. Lebanon continues to host large refugee populations while also seeing substantial returns this year. The international community is being called to actively support Syria's stabilization and recovery efforts.

Key Points: 850000 Syrians Return Home as UN Seeks International Support

  • 850,000 Syrian refugees returned from neighboring countries since December
  • UNHCR provides financial aid and transportation for safe returns
  • Lebanon hosts hundreds of thousands while seeing 200,000 returns this year
  • Clements visited housing rehabilitation projects in Damascus and Homs
2 min read

850,000 Syrians return home as UN refugee official calls for international support

UNHCR deputy chief Kelly Clements reports 850,000 Syrian refugees have returned home since December, calling for global support in rebuilding efforts.

"The international community cannot afford to be mere observers - Kelly Clements, UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner"

Beirut, Sep 3

Around 850,000 Syrians have returned from neighbouring countries since December, the United Nations refugee agency said, as its deputy chief Kelly Clements ended a five-day visit to Lebanon and Syria.

During her visit, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees met Lebanese and Syrian officials, as well as refugees who recently returned home and others still weighing the decision to go back, according to a statement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The UNHCR said the agency has expanded its assistance to ensure returns are voluntary, safe, and dignified, offering financial aid, transportation, shelter, and livelihood support in the communities of return.

"I saw up close how people have preserved their will to return, stay, and rebuild despite the harsh reality of destruction and lack of services following 14 years of war," Clements said.

Lebanon, which continues to host hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees, has seen nearly 200,000 people return this year alone. At the same time, new arrivals fleeing recent violence in Syria continue to enter Lebanon, underscoring the fluidity of the displacement crisis, Xinhua news agency reported.

In Syria's Damascus, Homs, and Idlib, Clements visited returnees benefiting from housing rehabilitation and small business support. She also inaugurated a rehabilitated Civil Registry Office in Maaret Al Nouman, Idlib, to improve access to documentation for returning families.

"The international community cannot afford to be mere observers," Clements stressed.

"They must take an active role in supporting stabilisation and recovery efforts, helping Syrians rebuild and reshape their country," she said.

In meetings with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and other cabinet members, she expressed appreciation for continued generosity in hosting Syrian refugees and committed to further cooperation in supporting voluntary returns.

UNHCR has scaled up support to those choosing to return, including by providing money and transportation, to ensure the process is dignified and sustainable.

According to official estimates, more than 1.7 million internally displaced people (IDPs), including just over 880,000 individuals who have departed from Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) sites in the north have returned.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
While the numbers are encouraging, we must ensure these returns are truly voluntary and safe. Lebanon has shown remarkable hospitality hosting so many refugees - something we in India understand well given our history of welcoming those in need.
A
Aditya G
Rebuilding after 14 years of war is monumental work. The international community absolutely needs to support housing, livelihoods, and basic services. India should contribute to these reconstruction efforts through our development partnerships.
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Sarah B
The civil registry office rehabilitation is crucial! Documentation is everything for accessing services, education, and rights. Smart focus by UNHCR on this practical need.
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Meera T
It's concerning that new arrivals continue even as people return. Shows the situation remains fragile. Sustainable peace must be the ultimate goal - temporary returns won't solve the underlying issues.
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Vikram M
Respect to Lebanon for hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees despite their own economic challenges. This is what true humanity looks like. The world should learn from such examples.

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