Attachments
Key Highlights
- Since 8 December, a total of 58,350 Syrians (26% men, 28% women and 46% children) returned to Syria primarily from Lebanon, Jordan and Türkiye. The main destinations of returns are Ar-Raqqa, followed by Aleppo, Homs and Dar’a. This continues the slow but steady increase in refugee returns witnessed over the last few weeks.
- UNHCR teams engaged with the new authorities at several border points inside Syria, establishing working relations and, in view of increasing refugee returns, assessing how border processes could be strengthened.
- Despite the increasing return to normalcy in some areas of the country, military hostilities in the north-east continue, impacting civilians and affecting delivery of humanitarian aid. In the north-west criminal activities are reported in some major urban areas, including kidnapping and theft. Incidents of unexploded ordinance continue to affect civilians.
- The Government of Türkiye announced it will establish a mechanism for temporary go-andsee visits from 1 January-1 July 2025, allowing a head of household to visit Syria three times in the six-month period. UNHCR considers this an important confidence-building measure, allowing refugees to make well informed decisions and preparations in case they choose to return.
Country updates
Syria
According to UNHCR and partner monitoring inside Syria, a total of 58,350 Syrians (nearly half of whom are children) have returned to Syria since 8 December, through official border crossings. The main destinations of returns are Ar-Raqqa, followed by Aleppo, Dar’a, and Homs.
Unexploded ordnance and remnants of war continue to have deadly consequences for civilians, a concern that refugees and IDPs have expressed: in the span of two days in north-west Syria at least seven landmine explosions resulted in nine casualties, including a child. Elsewhere, clashes between armed factions reportedly continue, and increases in criminal activity, particularly in Aleppo City, have been observed.
On 24 December, UNHCR teams visited the Jdaidet Yabous (border point with Lebanon), Al-Arida (Lebanon) and Nassib (Jordan) border crossings, engaging with caretaker authorities at each post. At Jdaidet Yabous, authorities reported that they plan to resume operations on 30 December. At the Al-Arida border crossing point with Lebanon, caretaker authorities informed that new border security personnel would be deployed shortly.
UNHCR and partner early recovery and aid programmes have resumed in most areas, supporting refugee and IDP returnees as well those still displaced and the communities hosting them. In northeast Syria’s Hassakeh Governorate, UNHCR is expanding the market in Newroz camp with 10 new shops to support IDPs and returnees in securing jobs and providing services to the camp population. In Damascus, UNHCR partners supported education and health awareness programmes with youthled initiatives. In Aleppo, UNHCR and its partner distributed livelihood equipment, tools and materials, targeting returning families.