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Since 2011, more than 5.7 million Syrians have been internationally displaced, mainly to neighbouring Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan, but also farther afield to countries in Europe and North Africa.1 Over the last 10 years, many Syrians have undertaken fragmented journeys to reach safety. In Tunisia, Syrians represent the second largest nationality among refugees in the country (27%) with a population of 2,575.2 Using 4Mi data collected between April 2020 and October 2021, this snapshot explores the most common routes undertaken by Syrian respondents arriving in Tunisia within the last two years, as well as their intentions for the future. This snapshot is published alongside a qualitative study available here which further unfolds the complexity of trajectories shaped by changing border regimes, bilateral pre-war ties, and Syrians’ socioeconomic status.
Key findings
• Most respondents (57%) started their journeys to Tunisia in third countries (most commonly Egypt, Algeria and Libya), implying they had temporarily settled elsewhere before travelling to Tunisia.
• Movements to Tunisia were shaped by violence and political events in countries of departure, be that Syria or elsewhere.
• Routes from/through Egypt and Sudan to Tunisia most often involved crossing Libya.
• Algeria was more frequently a country of departure or transit for respondents travelling with children (45% vs 17% of those travelling without children), while respondents travelling without children more often travelled from/through Libya (63%).
• The majority of respondents intend to move onward from Tunisia, with 62% indicating they had not reached the end of their journey.