UNHCR: Over 3 Million Syrians Have Returned Since Fall of Assad — But Urgent Funding Needed

More than three million Syrians who fled violence abroad or were displaced inside the country have returned to Syria or to their places of origin since President Bashar al‑Assad's regime fell on Dec. 8, 2024, the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said in a statement marking the one‑year anniversary of the regime's collapse.

Returns Mark Progress, But Risks Remain

UNHCR described the regime's fall as opening an "extraordinary window" for peace and stability and said it enabled an "historic return" of displaced people. The agency reported that about 1.2 million Syrians have voluntarily returned from neighboring countries while more than 1.9 million internally displaced people have gone back to their communities of origin. Many others have expressed a desire to return.

The statement provided a cross‑border breakdown: at least 560,000 returned from Turkey, 379,000 from Lebanon, 170,000 from Jordan and 28,000 from Egypt. UNHCR said these returns are a critical step in Syria's recovery after years of devastating conflict, but that returns must be voluntary and sustainable.

"This is a once‑in‑a‑generation chance to help end one of the world's worst humanitarian crises," U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said. He warned that "this window of hope will close" without urgent global backing.

Humanitarian Needs and Funding Gap

UNHCR cautioned that Syria still faces immense humanitarian and reconstruction challenges. The 14‑year war has driven more than 14 million people from their homes since 2011; roughly 6 million sought refuge in neighboring countries or further abroad, while an estimated 7.4 million were displaced inside Syria.

UNHCR's $1.5 billion appeal for Syria for 2025 has received only 33% of requested funding, leaving millions at risk of inadequate shelter and basic services this winter. The agency emphasized that insufficient aid could undermine regional stability and prompt unsafe or unsustainable returns.

Barriers to Reintegration

The agency highlighted numerous obstacles facing returnees: whole neighborhoods — including schools and hospitals — remain in ruins; electricity, clean water and health care are patchy; local markets are short of supplies; and many returnees lack civil documentation, which restricts access to property rights and essential services. UNHCR also reported that 577 people have been killed by unexploded ordnance so far this year.

UNHCR has supported voluntary returns with cash assistance, transportation and counseling on the civil documentation needed for reintegration. The agency reiterated that refugees must not be coerced into returning while security in parts of Syria remains fluid.

Who Is Responsible?

UNHCR stressed that the Syrian government bears the primary responsibility to create a secure, rights‑based environment and to facilitate voluntary returns. "In this new Syria, we must see only voluntary returns, not new displacements," the agency said.

UNHCR called on the international community to provide urgent and sustained funding for recovery, reconstruction and humanitarian aid — supporting returnees, refugees who remain below the poverty line in neighboring countries, and host communities — to help consolidate peace and prevent further instability.