ReliefWeb

In August 2020, the humanitarian community recorded about 19,000 spontaneous IDP return movements in different locations across Syria, marking a forty percent decrease in comparison to the previous month. More than 12 thousand of these return movements, amounting to 64 percent, occurred within and between Aleppo and Idleb governorates. The relative calm observed in the Idleb area since early March was likely the driver behind these movements as people who have been displaced from southern Idleb and western Aleppo governorates due to hostilities earlier in 2020 returned to their communities of origin along the frontlines, albeit at a much lower rate compared to the previous month. At the sub-district level, Jebel Saman sub-district in Aleppo governorate received the highest number of spontaneous return movements with around three thousand returns while Ehsem sub-district in southern Idleb governorate and Atareb sub-district in western Aleppo governorate received about two thousand spontaneous IDP return movements each in August. Moreover, Teftnaz, Idleb and Ariha sub-districts in Idleb governorate and Susat sub-district in Deir-EzZor governorate received about one thousand spontaneous IDP return movements each. At the community level, Aleppo city centre received the largest amount of return movements with around three thousand returns, while Tadil town in Aleppo governorate received around two thousand return movements in August. Moreover, Mastumeh, Ariha, Arnaba and Afs towns in Idleb governorate received more than six hundred spontaneous IDP return movements each. Despite slightly increased hostilities in northwest Syria during the reporting period, these movements were largely due to perceptions of stability and/or greater opportunities in places of return.

Notes:

• The returns refer to IDP spontaneous returns and do not necessarily follow the global definitions of ‘Returnees’ or durable solutions for IDPs.

• The IDP spontaneous returns include IDPs returning to their homes or communities of origin.

• The IDP spontaneous returns term used in this monthly report refers to the return movements occurred in the reported period only.

• The process of verification is based on triangulation of verified IDP spontaneous returns reported by different mechanisms and further examined by the IDP TF through cross-checking population numbers from previous years.