Wed Sep 24 21:22:54 UTC 2025: **Syria Sees 1 Million Refugees Return After Assad’s Fall, But Challenges Remain**

**GENEVA** – A million Syrian refugees have returned to their homeland in the nine months since the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad last December, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced Tuesday. An additional 1.8 million internally displaced Syrians have also returned to their areas of origin, marking a significant shift after nearly 14 years of devastating civil war.

The UNHCR hailed the returns as a sign of “great hope and high expectations” following the political transition. However, the agency cautioned that significant challenges persist, threatening the sustainability of the returns.

“Destroyed homes and infrastructure, weak and damaged basic services, a lack of job opportunities, and volatile security are challenging people’s determination to return and recover,” the UNHCR statement read.

Despite the returns, over seven million Syrians remain displaced within the country, and over 4.5 million remain refugees abroad. The UNHCR is urging the international community to step up support for stabilization efforts and vulnerable families.

“The international community, private sector, and Syrians in the diaspora must come together and intensify their efforts to support recovery and ensure that the voluntary return of those displaced by conflict is sustainable and dignified and they are not forced to flee again,” said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

A recent UNHCR survey revealed that 80 percent of Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, and Iraq hope to return home one day, with 18 percent aiming to do so within the next year.

The agency also stressed the critical need for continued support to host countries like Jordan, Lebanon, and Türkiye to ensure returns are voluntary, safe, and dignified.

Adding to the concerns, the UNHCR warned that funding for humanitarian operations is critically low. Inside Syria, only 24 percent of the required funding is available, while for the wider regional Syria response, only 30 percent of the requested funds have been provided.

“This is not the time to cut back support for the Syrian people and their push for a better Syria for them and the region,” the agency emphasized.

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