UNHCR Urges Global Support as Syrians Return Home Amid Ongoing Displacement

UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees Kelly T. Clements has concluded a five-day mission to Lebanon and Syria, urging the international community to step up support for peace, stability, and recovery efforts in Syria, while also assisting host countries like Lebanon that continue to shoulder the burden of the Syrian refugee crisis.

A Complex Moment: Returns and New Displacement

Clements’ visit comes at a pivotal moment in Syria’s 14-year conflict. Since the fall of the Assad government in December 2024, more than 1.2 million Syrians have returned home from neighboring countries, including 850,000 cross-border returns and 1.7 million internally displaced people (IDPs) returning within Syria.

At the same time, recent violence has forced new waves of displacement. “It’s been a dynamic period where we see both Syrians returning, but also others becoming newly displaced,” Clements said.

She emphasized that returns must be voluntary, safe, and dignified, and that without sustained international support, stability and reintegration will remain elusive.

Lebanon’s Role and Challenges

In Lebanon, which still hosts hundreds of thousands of Syrians, Clements met Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, General Security chief Major General Hassan Choucair, and Minister of Social Affairs Haneen El Sayed.

She thanked Lebanon for its continued generosity despite economic and political strain, and pledged stronger cooperation on voluntary repatriation.

In 2025 alone, nearly 200,000 Syrian refugees have returned from Lebanon, a trend accelerated by the temporary waiver of exit fees for refugees overstaying residency permits. Yet many more refugees remain, with growing needs for humanitarian and livelihood support.

Clements also met newly arrived Syrian refugees in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, who fled recent violence inside Syria, underscoring the fragile nature of the security situation.

Meeting Returnees in Syria

In Syria, Clements held talks with Social Affairs and Labor Minister Hind Kabawat, as well as the governors of Homs and Idleb. She met families in Zibdeen and Maliha villages near Damascus, who had returned and received shelter assistance and livelihood support from UNHCR to start small businesses.

“I saw up-close how people have preserved their will to return, stay, and rebuild despite the harsh reality of destruction and lack of services following 14 years of war,” she said.

In Maaret Al Nouman, Idleb, she inaugurated a newly rehabilitated Civil Registry Office—backed by UNHCR—designed to give returnees access to legal documentation vital for rebuilding their lives. At the Joussieh border crossing, she met Syrians crossing back into their homeland for the first time in years, supported by UNHCR registration and infrastructure improvements.

Calls for International Action

Clements stressed that humanitarian aid and stabilization efforts must go hand in hand. Without international commitment, she warned, the return of millions could falter.

“The international community cannot afford to be mere observers, assessing and judging the developments in Syria,” she said. “They must take an active role supporting stabilization and recovery efforts, helping Syrians rebuild and reshape their country.”

UNHCR and partners have already scaled up assistance by providing cash support, transport for returnees, shelter rehabilitation, and infrastructure restoration. But Clements noted that funding gaps and political inaction threaten progress.

The Way Forward

The refugee agency’s message is clear: while the scale of returns signals hope, challenges remain immense. Reconstruction needs, economic collapse, and continuing security concerns mean that millions of Syrians are still displaced across the Middle East and within Syria.

Clements’ visit serves as a reminder that lasting solutions require both humanitarian support and political will. With the right international backing, the resilience of Syrians could be the foundation for long-term recovery.