After more than a decade of war and displacement, a growing number of Syrians are retracing their steps home. As of late October 2025, more than 1.1 million Syrian refugees have crossed back into the country, while another 1.9 million internally displaced persons have returned to their towns and villages. From Lebanon to Jordan and Türkiye, scenes of departure have become a mix of anticipation and uncertainty — families carrying what little they have left, returning to rebuild amid ruins and fragile peace.
In Lebanon, small groups gather weekly at border crossings such as Al-Arida and Masnaa, assisted by UNHCR and IOM teams who provide transport, relief kits, and psychosocial support. Across the border, UNHCR field workers follow up in Homs, Hama, and Aleppo, ensuring that returnees have access to community centers offering legal aid, education support, and livelihood guidance. For those still in camps in northern Syria, voluntary return operations from Mahmoudli and Areesha are ongoing — each movement carefully coordinated to ensure safety and consent.
Yet beyond the numbers are stories of resilience. In Za’atari Refugee Camp, 20-year-old artist Arwa Ali, deaf since childhood, paints her dreams in bold color — her art a quiet rebellion against despair, and a reflection of millions yearning for normalcy. Her canvases, filled with birds and open skies, capture the same hope that drives so many Syrians to reclaim their homeland.
Through 71 community centers and over 1,400 outreach volunteers, UNHCR continues to accompany Syrians on their long journey home — a journey not just of physical return, but of healing and rebuilding lives once shattered by conflict.
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