‘We tasted the horrors of war’: Stories of refugees who returned home (opens original article in a new tab)

Syrian refugee returns increased significantly in 2025, with 1.3 million returning from abroad and 2 million internally displaced returning home, reducing the global refugee population. Many returnees faced initial difficulties but reported improved security and freedom of movement in Syria.

• Approximately 1.3 million Syrians returned from abroad in 2025, triple the previous year's figure
• Over 2 million internally displaced Syrians returned home, reducing the global refugee population from 6 million to 4.9 million
• More than 556,000 Syrians returned from Turkey, 465,000 from Lebanon, and 256,000 from Jordan according to UNHCR data