“There should be no pressure on displaced Syrians to return home,” UNHCR – eSHOP24X7

Shabia Mantu, spokesperson for the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, said Tuesday in Geneva that people forced to flee the country due to the 13-year civil war are now considering returning to Syria.

But they also face the question of how safe their return will be and to what extent their rights will be respected.

The spokesperson said people who decide to return should be given the opportunity to decide without any pressure.

He stressed that all refugees have the fundamental right to return to their country of origin at a time of their choosing, and any change must be voluntary, respectful and safe.

protection of asylum seekers

According to UNHCR, the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011 when the repression of popular anti-government protests led to armed conflict.

The civil war has been brutal and protracted, with millions dead, seven million Syrians displaced within the country and more than five million seeking refuge in neighboring countries. Many Syrian refugees have also arrived in other countries.

This figure is almost half of the country’s total population of approximately 23 million, even before the civil war began.

There have also been reports of policies by some European countries to suspend decisions on Syrian asylum applications following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

In response to questions, Shabia Mantu reiterated that “any Syrian or anyone seeking international protection should be able to access asylum procedures and have their application considered comprehensively and individually on its merits.”

Challenges related to providing aid

More than a million people have been killed in Idlib, Aleppo, Hama and Homs since November 28, when a coalition of opposition forces led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) armed group launched an offensive from its stronghold in Idlib”. The majority of people who have been displaced are women and children.

These opposition forces had captured dozens of strategic areas and cities, including Aleppo, Hama and Homs, before reaching the capital Damascus.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), some of the displaced have returned to their homes in Syria in recent days.

Agency spokesman Jens Lark also said humanitarian aid operations had resumed in affected areas, including Homs, Hama and the capital Damascus.

“Since yesterday, all humanitarian aid organizations have resumed their work in Idlib and northern Aleppo,” the spokesperson said.

increase in humanitarian aid

UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Najat Roshdi convened a humanitarian working group meeting in Geneva and called on all parties to prioritize the protection of civilians and respect international law.

He called on Member States to apply pressure to ensure the safe passage of civilians fleeing conflicts and wars.

He said essential infrastructure, including schools and health facilities, must be protected and routes left open for civilians to escape violence and return safely to their homes.

Najat Roshdi pledged to maintain contacts with the Syrian people in all areas and stressed the responsibility of the international community to avoid further instability.

He stressed that it is necessary to provide uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to the people. Despite growing needs, humanitarian aid faces severe funding shortfalls. Of the $4.1 billion needed by 2024, less than a third has been received.

There is a heavy burden on hospitals.

UN agencies and partner organizations are providing basic assistance in northwest Syria and beneficiaries include recently displaced people.

OCHA spokesperson Jens Lark said food, health and nutrition services have been provided to people, as well as assistance to increase people’s access to clean water in Aleppo.

But there are reports that health facilities are overstretched and major hospitals are operating at limited capacity due to shortages of staff, medicines and supplies.