Al-Rasm Camps in Manbij Closed as 108 Families Return Home
Syrian authorities announced the permanent closure of the Al-Rasm Al-Qadim and Al-Rasm Al-Jadid camps, located in the Manbij area of the eastern Aleppo countryside, on Sunday. The closure is part of broader efforts to resolve the issue of displacement and implement the “Syria Without Camps” initiative, which operates under Decree No. 59 to facilitate the voluntary and safe return of Syrian citizens to their original towns and villages.
On Sunday, a convoy of 108 families departed from the camps, heading back to their places of origin in the Aleppo and Idlib governorates. Official sources confirmed that the repatriation process was conducted under the direct supervision of the National Committee for the “Syria Without Camps” vision. The operation was supported through cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) to ensure that the process adhered to established humanitarian standards.
The Syrian Civil Defense announced that it had mobilized specialized teams and personnel to accompany the convoy throughout its journey. These teams were tasked with securing the routes and ensuring the safety of the returnees, as well as providing necessary medical care for families—particularly children and the elderly—until they reached their homes and settled. These measures are part of a wider government effort to conclude the displacement crisis and restore normal life to areas that have achieved security and stability.
In a related development, another voluntary return convoy departed from displacement camps in the northern part of Idlib governorate on the same day, carrying 220 families. The returnees in this second convoy are set to resettle across various Syrian governorates, including Idlib, Hama, Homs, Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor, Latakia, Damascus, and Rif Dimashq. These ongoing efforts underscore the national commitment to encouraging displaced persons to return to their original areas, backed by programs designed to provide essential services and rehabilitate infrastructure to support local stability.
Source: Syria Focus Arabic
