Quoted by the Syria TV website, Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Hanine El Sayed highlighted significant progress in the safe return plan for refugees and indicated that to date, 380,000 Syrians have returned to Syria and have been permanently removed from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) database.

Furthermore, the minister noted that approximately 74,000 displaced persons have expressed their desire to return before the end of this year, reflecting the Lebanese government’s commitment to a safe and sustainable return.

El Sayed also reported on the humanitarian aid received in Lebanon, noting that cash assistance provided in 2024 amounted to $434 million, representing 42% of the response plan’s budget.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Interior Ministry announced that a total of 578,000 Syrian refugees have voluntarily, safely, and in an organized manner returned to their country since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya expressed his confidence that the Syrians who lived in Türkiye will continue to maintain ties with Turkish society, emphasizing that many of them, having learned the language and established cultural links, will act as “ambassadors of goodwill” between the two peoples.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) recently confirmed that more than 1.2 million Syrian refugees have returned to their country since December 2024, specifying that the majority of returnees came from neighboring countries, particularly Türkiye, Lebanon, and Jordan, while a smaller number came from other countries.

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