Syrian refugees who built lives in Jordan are packing up and starting over, as rising costs of living and aid cuts push them to return home—despite the hardships waiting on the other side of the border.
A six-month window for refugees in Turkey to visit Syria before committing to return is set to close on July 1. In Kilis, a border city transformed by an influx of refugees, many are preparing to leave, while others remain uncertain.
Only 3,106 Syrian refugees out of 717,000 registered with the UN in Jordan have returned to Syria since Assad fell, as crossing the border is a one-way trip to a country that is not yet stable.
As life in Cyprus grows increasingly difficult for many asylum seekers, the number of Syrians opting into the island’s “voluntary return” program is going up. So far this year, 114 Syrians have returned, compared to just around 30 in all of 2023.
Last month, Turkey’s highest court ruled against Syrians who objected to their deportation. In this Op-Ed, lawyer Ghazwan Koronfol asks: Is the judiciary paving the way for “voluntary return”?
