Attachments
Context and rationale
Starting on 27 November 2024, Syrian opposition forces launched an offensive against Government of Syria forces, leading to the first major changes in territorial control since 2020. On 8 December 2024, Syrian opposition forces swept into Damascus, ending the 24-year rule of previous President Bashar al-Assad. Given these changes, humanitarian actors (donors and implementing agencies) are seeking to understand ongoing and potential population movements, particularly of previously internally displaced persons (IDPs) to areas that were, until recently, under Government of Syria (GoS) control. Understanding IDPs’ movement intentions and push and pull factors could help humanitarian actors to facilitate dignified, safe, and orderly returns and, ultimately, durable solutions to displacement.
Key messages
• Only a small minority of IDPs living in assessed camps were planning to return to their areas of origin (AoO) in the short term. Only 12% of households (HHs) across assessed camps plan to return during the month following data collection.
• A stable security context and access to livelihood are key factors influencing IDPs' decision to return. Outside Areesha, most IDPs cited a better access to livelihood as essential for safe and dignified returns.
• Short-term returns seem limited to neighboring areas. Although over a third of assessed HHs were originally from outside of Northeast Syria (NES), only 1% of them planned to return within a month