UNHCR Regional Flash Update #28 - Syria Situation Crisis (22 May 2025)

Key Highlights

• As of 22 May 2025, UNHCR estimates that 507,672 Syrians have crossed back to Syria via neighboring countries since 8 December 2024. This brings up the total of 868,512 Syrian individuals that have returned to Syria since the beginning of 2024.
• As of 22 May, 1,200,486 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have returned to their homes in Syria since early December 2024, according to the latest data of the IDP Task Force. The fourth and fifth voluntary return movements from Areesha camp, facilitated by UNHCR, took place on 15 May and 18 May, benefiting 100 households (526 individuals) who returned to their areas of origin in Deir-ez-Zor. To date, 356 households (1,878 individuals) have departed Areesha camp through either UNHCR-facilitated or self-organized returns.
• On 20 May 2025, following a Foreign Affairs Council meeting, the European Union announced the political decision to lift its economic sanctions on Syria. This decision is reversible and conditional. The easing of sanctions is crucial to improve access to essential services and support for vulnerable populations across the country as well as for the return of displaced populations including refugees. UNHCR has been advocating for the release of sanctions since the fall of the previous regime.
• During the week, UNHCR distributed over 7,650 non-food (NFI) kits across all 14 governorates in Syria, including in Roj, Tel Saman, and Al-Hol camps (Al-Hasakeh Governorate). 2,314 individuals were reached through child protection and education interventions, and 1,370 individuals were reached through gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) activities across Syria. UNHCR and partners provided mental health and psychosocial support to nearly 490 individuals, while UNHCR’s legal support reached nearly 500 individuals.
• As of 22 May, and since the start of the transportation process on 20 January 2025, UNHCR has supported more than 2,300 refugees to return from Jordan to Syria.