New Voluntary Return Convoy Transports 209 Families to Idlib
A new convoy for the voluntary return of displaced persons departed the Idlib province on Thursday, carrying 209 families back to their original towns and villages. The families are heading to their former homes across several governorates, including Idlib, Hama, Homs, Damascus, and Daraa, as part of ongoing efforts to facilitate returns and gradually phase out the displacement camps in northern Syria.
This initiative was coordinated by the Idlib provincial government and the Directorate of Social Affairs and Labor, in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Muzn Organization, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC), and the Directorate of Emergency and Disaster Management. These entities worked in an integrated manner to ensure the families reached their destinations safely and had their basic needs met.
Mohammad Bakir, Director of the Northern Department for Social Affairs and Labor in Idlib, explained that the department’s role focuses on the meticulous organization of the return process. This includes preparing lists, conducting necessary surveys, organizing assembly points, and accompanying the families until they reach their home areas. Bakir emphasized that registration for these voluntary convoys remains ongoing, reaffirming the commitment of the relevant authorities to continue this work as long as families express a desire to return home.
Regarding the provision of aid to those returning, Bakir noted that the Syrian Arab Red Crescent has distributed essential relief items to the families. Additionally, the Violet Organization contributed food baskets to support the families during the initial phase of resettlement following their return.
Safi Mohammad Nasouh, one of the returnees, expressed his happiness at beginning a new life after years of displacement. He returned with his family to his hometown of Kafr Nabl, having previously been displaced in 2019 to the town of Barisha in the northern Idlib countryside.
This convoy follows similar efforts carried out previously, including a mission last October that saw 229 families return from Idlib to their villages across seven different Syrian governorates, reflecting a steady pace in organizing voluntary returns for displaced persons to their original areas.
Source: Syria Focus Arabic
