The View From Damascus – Beyond the Border: The Complex Reality of Syrian Refugee Return After Assad - The Syrian Observer

The View From Damascus – Beyond the Border: The Complex Reality of Syrian Refugee Return After Assad - The Syrian Observer

The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the lifting of international sanctions in 2025 marked a seismic shift in Syria’s political landscape. To many, it was the long-awaited opening of a new chapter—one that promised reconstruction, reconciliation, and the return of millions of displaced Syrians. Yet as the dust settles, a more sobering reality emerges: return is not a finish line, but the start of another arduous journey. Across Damascus, rur…

Crossing borders again: A forced return to a house on ruins

Written by: Bernat Baena, EST Ambassador to Spain Edited by: Anca Grigoriescu Crossing borders again: A forced return to a house on ruins The Syrian conflict, which began in 2011 with peaceful protests against the al-Assad government repression, escalated into a brutal civil war involving numerous local, regional, and international actors. Over the years, Syria

The United Nations announced the return of more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees and displaced persons to their areas since the fall of Assad on 8 December 2024.