More than 125,000 Syrian refugees have returned to their home country since the fall of the Assad regime in early December, according to United Nations figures. However, many of them lack shelter and economic prospects.
One month after the fall of the Assad regime, more than 125,000 Syrian refugees have returned to their home country.
That's according to a press release published on Thursday (January 9) by the United Nations. "Many families have little shelter and few economic prospects," the press release reads.
"Until we move from words to action, for many returnees… their new life in Syria will unfortunately mean sleeping surrounded by plastic sheeting," UNHCR representative Gonzalo Vargas Llosa is quoted as saying in the document.
By "words", Llosa was referring to Wednesday's UN Security Council meeting and other "international circles of the need for 'early recovery' and 'rebuilding'".
During the meeting, the UN's Special Envoy for Syria described the transitional phase as a moment of "great opportunities and real dangers," with the humanitarian situation remaining "critical": According to the UN, nearly 15 million Syrians are in need of health services, while 13 million face acute food insecurity.
More than 620,000 are moreover displaced in winter conditions.
On December 8 last year, a rebel coalition led by the Islamist militia Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), designated a terror group by many countries, captured Damascus and overthrew long-time dictator Bashar al-Assad. A transitional HTS-led government is to bring peace to the country and establish a new political system.
More than 7 million IDPs
According to said press release, the devastation of 14 years of civil war in Syria is now becoming ever more clear. In addition to the 125,000 returnees, nearly half a million people who'd been displaced within Syria returned to northwest Syria by the end of December.
Overall, the UN estimates that around half of Syria's population was internally displaced, with around a third of them staying in camps. What's more, close to 17 million people currently rely on humanitarian assistance.
UNHCR, meanwhile, expects around one million people to return to the country in the first half of this year, AFP reported.
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IOM raises aid appeal
On Thursday (January 9), the UN migration agency IOM more than doubled its financial aid appeal for Syria, aiming to support 1.1 million people across the country over the next six months.
To achieve this, the IOM says it needs 73.2 million dollars, up from the original 30 million dollars requested in December.
"IOM is committed to helping the people of Syria at this historical moment as the nation recovers from nearly 14 years of conflict," IOM chief Amy Pope said in a statement.
According to the IOM, the money would be used to provide essential relief items and cash, shelter, protection assistance, water, sanitation, hygiene and health services. The requested funds would also go to providing recovery support to people on the move, including those displaced, or preparing to relocate.
The Geneva-based agency said it was working to reestablish its presence inside Syria, news agency AFP reported. It exited the capital Damascus in 2020.
with epd, AFP