Aisha Sabri

Syrian and Lebanese officials met on Monday amid rising calls for the repatriation of more than 2,000 Syrians detained in overcrowded Lebanese prisons that have seen around 40 deaths in the past two years.

While Damascus hails the emptying of Assad regime prisons, detainees arrested for opposing Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) continue to languish in Idlib prisons. 

As Syrians return home, Turkey is losing cheap labor and small businesses, sparking apprehension about the future of the country’s labor market. 

In April, Turkey tightened conditions for renewing tourist residencies, requiring Syrians to show bank deposits of 1.5 times the minimum wage per family member or obtain work residency instead. The requirements are beyond the reach of many.

Grinding poverty keeps thousands of children out of school and on the job in northwestern Syria. Across the country, more than 43 percent of children do not go to school, raising fears of a generation left behind.