Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has stated that one person from each Syrian refugee family will be granted the right to enter and exit Türkiye up to three times between January 1 and July 2025. This provision will be implemented under regulations to be drafted following instructions from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Türkiye Reports Over 25,000 Syrians Returned Home Following Assad's Fall
More than 25,000 Syrians in Türkiye have returned to Syria following the overthrow of Bashar al Assad by anti-regime groups, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has announced.
"The number of people returning to Syria in the last 15 days has exceeded 25,000," Yerlikaya stated in an interview with the official Anadolu news agency.
Türkiye currently hosts nearly four million refugees who fled Syria's civil war, which began in 2011. Ankara is now focusing on facilitating the voluntary return of these refugees, as the recent shift of power in Damascus is expected to make it easier for many Syrians to return home.
Yerlikaya revealed plans to establish a migration office within the Turkish embassy and consulate in Damascus and Aleppo. These offices will maintain records of Syrians returning to their home country.
In addition, Türkiye reopened its embassy in Damascus nearly a week after Assad was toppled by anti-regime groups, marking a significant shift in relations between the two countries. This move comes 12 years after Türkiye closed the embassy at the start of Syria's civil war.
Yerlikaya also announced new regulations, based on instructions from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, allowing one person from each returning Syrian family the right to enter and exit Türkiye up to three times between January 1 and July 2025.
Furthermore, Syrians returning to their country will be permitted to take their personal belongings and vehicles with them, ensuring a smoother transition back to their homeland.