Turkish Interior Minister: 723,000 Syrians have returned to their country since the overthrow of the Assad regime

Istanbul, August 13 (KUNA) -- Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Cevdet announced on Thursday that 723,000 Syrians have returned to their country since the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime. The remarks were made during a live broadcast on the Turkish NTV channel, which covered current developments. The Interior Minister noted that changes had been made to their approach toward migration policies. He added, “We view our migration policy from humanitarian, moral, and legal perspectives, and we will act accordingly, basing all our migration policies on these principles.” He stated that Turkey currently hosts 3.623 million foreigners with legal residency rights, including 2.235 million Syrians. He continued, “Syrians began returning to their country following the change in regime on December 8, 2024. Over the past ten years, 1.5 million Syrians have returned to their homeland, with the pace of return accelerating after December 8.” He clarified that since December 8, 2024, 723,000 Syrians have returned voluntarily, safely, and with dignity, adding, “We encourage this and do not force anyone to return to death, persecution, or an unsafe environment.” (End)