Ankara: Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has announced that more than 509,000 Syrian refugees have returned to Syria from Turkey since the change of government in Syria last December. The announcement was made via the minister’s post on the “X” platform, where he detailed the timeline of these returns, stating that they began on December 8, 2024.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Turkish Interior Minister also highlighted that since 2016, a total of over 1.2 million Syrian refugees have made their way back to Syria from Turkey. This significant movement reflects ongoing changes in Syria and the continued shifts in refugee populations within the region.

Interior Ministry data reveals that more than 2.4 million Syrian citizens are still under temporary protection in Turkey. The majority of these individuals are residing in Istanbul, indicating the city’s role as a central hub for Syrian refugees within Turkey. This data underscores the magnitude of the refugee situation in Turkey and the efforts being made to address it.