Syrian migrants return home as Turkey border crossings open for first time in YEARS after toppling of Assad

Hundreds of Syrian refugees are flocking to Turkey‘s southern border crossings to return home following the sudden fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime on Sunday.

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that border crossing numbers doubled between Sunday and Monday, with initial figures of “300-400” people rising significantly.

The mass movement comes as Turkey, which hosts nearly three million Syrian refugees, rapidly expands its border facilities to accommodate those eager to return to their homeland after years in exile.

Families carrying belongings in boxes and bin bags have been gathering at crossing points, with many expressing their joy at the prospect of returning home.

Turkey has dramatically increased its border crossing capacity to manage the surge of returning refugees.

“Although we had a daily capacity to accommodate 3,000 crossings, we have increased that to between 15,000 and 20,000,” Interior Minister Yerlikaya told reporters on Tuesday.

Turkey shares a 900km border with Syria, operating five crossings, with President Erdogan pledging to reopen a sixth.

The Yayladagi crossing in Hatay province, closed since 2013, will resume operations to “ease the traffic” at the western end of the frontier.

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All three border crossings in Hatay province are now operating around the clock.

“It’s over! We will never come back here to Turkey,” said Zayliha Sadiq, 51, who was leaving with her husband and three children at the Cilvegozu checkpoint.

Her husband Maarif plans to reopen his bakery in Idlib. Their seven-year-old daughter, born in exile, will meet her Syrian grandparents for the first time.

Mohammad Diaa Al-Ahmar, a medic who fled Syria nine years ago, is also returning. “My parents are waiting for us in Syria,” he said, as he unloaded belongings including his daughter’s bicycle at the border.

Turkey currently hosts the world’s largest Syrian refugee population, with approximately 3.2 million people according to UN figures.

President Erdogan spoke with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen about ensuring “the safe and voluntary return of Syrians to their country” – where he called for “the reconstruction of Syria” to “speed up the Syrians’ return”.

“The strong wind of change in Syria will be beneficial for all Syrians, especially the refugees,” Erdogan said, adding that their “13-year longing for their homeland will come to an end”.

Syrians leaving Turkey will have their “temporary protection” status cancelled upon exit, making their departure a one-way journey.

But not all Syrians are choosing to return. “It’s good for us Syrians now that the war is over,” said Nedal Al-Hallak, 65, who plans to remain in Turkey. “Now my children are settled, and we have a life here.”