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This coming Monday marks the first anniversary of the ouster of Syria’s Bashar Assad and with it the end of the country’s brutal civil war.
During that 14-year conflict some 6 million people fled Syria, mainly to neighboring countries Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon but also to Europe. Astonishingly, around a quarter of those refugees returned home in 2025.
But what is driving their return and what conditions are they arriving back home to? Sandra Joireman, an expert in post-conflict return migration, explains that Syria post-war reconstruction is far from complete and violence against minority groups continues. Yet many refugees are opting to make the return journey home due, in part, to deteriorating conditions are hardening stances in host nations. Yet 14 year of conflict has created barriers to reintegration in Syria – homes and land registries have been destroyed, making it difficult for many to stake a claim over previous properties.
“Ultimately, a year after the civil war ended, Syrians are returning because of a mixture of hope and hardship: hope that the fall of the Assad government has opened a path home, and hardship driven by declining support and safety in neighboring states,” Joireman writes, adding: “Whether these returns will be safe, voluntary and sustainable are critical questions that will shape Syria’s recovery for years to come.”
Elsewhere this week we have been looking ahead to Myanmar’s sham elections and touting the therapeutic benefits of singing in the shower.
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