Large-scale destruction and an absence of essential services are the top barriers for displaced Syrians wishing to return home, according to a survey by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).
Syria: Destruction, lack of services delay safe returns within country
The organisation surveyed 4,106 displaced people in northwest Syria about their future plans and spoke to hundreds of families who have returned years after fleeing home.
In displacement camps in the northwest, only 8 per cent of people surveyed said they planned to return to their areas of origin within the next three months. Large-scale destruction and lack of savings, basic services and jobs were all reported as blockers to return.
The northwest is one of the most densely populated regions in Syria, hosting around 3.4 million displaced people, the majority of whom are in makeshift camps.
“Syrians we spoke to told us they longed for their homes,” said Kathryn Achilles, NRC’s Head of Advocacy for the Middle East and North Africa, who visited the country earlier this month.
“However, that desire to be back is met with the chilling reality in Syrian towns and villages. People who go back to check on their homes are confronted with scenes of flattened buildings, wiped-out neighbourhoods, pitch-black homes and minimal job prospects. Many of them have lived in displacement camps in dire conditions for years but prefer to stay there for the time being.
“While it remains the case that hundreds of villages and towns are not prepared for a mass return of people, Syrians who wish to return must be supported. Most importantly, they must be able to access accurate information on conditions in their areas of origin and receive support in making informed decisions about returning.”
In Homs city, NRC spoke to families who had returned after years of displacement. The majority of them reported being pushed to return from Lebanon. Others said they planned to go back to Idlib after realising there were no sustainable services and experiencing high prices in local markets in areas of return. Power shortages are widespread, with some areas receiving as little as 45 minutes of electricity every eight hours, affecting heating and business productivity.
Housing in major provinces including Aleppo, Homs and Rural Damascus remains one of the biggest challenges for returnees. Many families require home repairs in order to be able to stay. Nine in 10 people surveyed said their homes were either completely destroyed or uninhabitable.
In other cases observed by NRC, families arrived in their homes only to find their homes were occupied by other families, meaning that these families often have to leave and find their own alternative accommodation. As more people start to return, rents are likely to rise, ultimately creating a risk of new displacement amid high unemployment and economic crises.
Saer, 35, has returned to his damaged house in Homs, central Syria, after a decade he spent with his family in Turkey. He told NRC, “We are back to our home, neighbours and land, but it is heartbreaking to see the house in this state. It will need 30-40 million Syrian pounds, or around $3,000 US dollars to repair. It will take a lot of time to get money, especially without any income. We need job opportunities. I have worked as a builder. I brought my toolkit thinking there would be jobs available, but there is nothing so far.”
NRC supports both displaced and returnee communities with legal assistance, shelter, education, and cash, mainly used for heating, food and medication. The organisation is also establishing help desks on the Syrian side of the border with Lebanon to provide legal advice for people crossing back into the country.
NRC urges the international community to ensure that support in this critical juncture of the response is forward-looking and moves beyond lifesaving assistance across Syria. Planned programmes must include longer term support that includes repairing homes, schools, and hospitals alongside enabling access to the basics such as electricity, clean water and food. This also hinges on legal supports that allow people to access identity documents and ensure people can claim their housing, land or property rights – which are a critical part of rebuilding.
While there is new hope for Syrians, conflating a change in context with total safety could put communities at risk of prematurely returning to areas where homes are demolished, services are non-existent, jobs nowhere to be found and where debris from conflict has not yet been safely cleared.
“We have a window of opportunity to ensure sustainable assistance is provided now in ways that allow for the eventual return home. International donors should step up their support to enable Syrians to get back on their feet and rebuild their lives after years of conflict and displacement,” said Achilles.
Notes to editors
- NRC surveyed 4,106 displaced Syrians in the northwest Syria, mainly in Idlib, between 10th December 2024 and 7th January 2025 to gauge their intention to return to areas of origin following the fall of the previous government. NRC also interviewed people in Homs and Aleppo provinces, where many have returned after years of displacement.
- A majority of respondents originally came from Idlib, Hama, Aleppo, Homs, Latakia and Damascus. 92 per cent were displaced before 2019.
- Only 8 per cent said they intended to return to their areas of origin. 50 per cent of those surveyed said they were not planning to return within the next three months. Another 23 per cent said they were undecided.
- Among those surveyed, 1,600 had managed to visit their area of origin. Of those, 72 per cent indicated that their homes were completely destroyed or uninhabitable. A further 19 per cent said their homes needed substantial renovation or reconstruction.
- Around 3.4 million people, including two million people in 1,500 camps, live in the northwest (UNHCR).
- In 2024, less than 35 per cent of the funding appeal by UN and partners for 4 billion US dollars to support people in need across Syria was covered (OCHA).
- For January-March 2025, the UN and partners have appealed for 1.2 billion US dollars to meet the most urgent humanitarian needs. So far, the appeal is less than 10 per cent funded (OCHA).
For information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
- NRC's global media hotline: media@nrc.no, +47 905 62 329
- Ahmed Bayram, Middle East and North Africa regional media adviser: bayram@nrc.no, +962 790 160 147
The organisation surveyed 4,106 displaced people in northwest Syria about their future plans and spoke to hundreds of families who have returned years after fleeing home.
In displacement camps in the northwest, only 8 per cent of people surveyed said they planned to return to their areas of origin within the next three months. Large-scale destruction and lack of savings, basic services and jobs were all reported as blockers to return.
The northwest is one of the most densely populated regions in Syria, hosting around 3.4 million displaced people, the majority of whom are in makeshift camps.
“Syrians we spoke to told us they longed for their homes,” said Kathryn Achilles, NRC’s Head of Advocacy for the Middle East and North Africa, who visited the country earlier this month.
“However, that desire to be back is met with the chilling reality in Syrian towns and villages. People who go back to check on their homes are confronted with scenes of flattened buildings, wiped-out neighbourhoods, pitch-black homes and minimal job prospects. Many of them have lived in displacement camps in dire conditions for years but prefer to stay there for the time being.
“While it remains the case that hundreds of villages and towns are not prepared for a mass return of people, Syrians who wish to return must be supported. Most importantly, they must be able to access accurate information on conditions in their areas of origin and receive support in making informed decisions about returning.”
In Homs city, NRC spoke to families who had returned after years of displacement. The majority of them reported being pushed to return from Lebanon. Others said they planned to go back to Idlib after realising there were no sustainable services and experiencing high prices in local markets in areas of return. Power shortages are widespread, with some areas receiving as little as 45 minutes of electricity every eight hours, affecting heating and business productivity.
Housing in major provinces including Aleppo, Homs and Rural Damascus remains one of the biggest challenges for returnees. Many families require home repairs in order to be able to stay. Nine in 10 people surveyed said their homes were either completely destroyed or uninhabitable.
In other cases observed by NRC, families arrived in their homes only to find their homes were occupied by other families, meaning that these families often have to leave and find their own alternative accommodation. As more people start to return, rents are likely to rise, ultimately creating a risk of new displacement amid high unemployment and economic crises.
Saer, 35, has returned to his damaged house in Homs, central Syria, after a decade he spent with his family in Turkey. He told NRC, “We are back to our home, neighbours and land, but it is heartbreaking to see the house in this state. It will need 30-40 million Syrian pounds, or around $3,000 US dollars to repair. It will take a lot of time to get money, especially without any income. We need job opportunities. I have worked as a builder. I brought my toolkit thinking there would be jobs available, but there is nothing so far.”
NRC supports both displaced and returnee communities with legal assistance, shelter, education, and cash, mainly used for heating, food and medication. The organisation is also establishing help desks on the Syrian side of the border with Lebanon to provide legal advice for people crossing back into the country.
NRC urges the international community to ensure that support in this critical juncture of the response is forward-looking and moves beyond lifesaving assistance across Syria. Planned programmes must include longer term support that includes repairing homes, schools, and hospitals alongside enabling access to the basics such as electricity, clean water and food. This also hinges on legal supports that allow people to access identity documents and ensure people can claim their housing, land or property rights – which are a critical part of rebuilding.
While there is new hope for Syrians, conflating a change in context with total safety could put communities at risk of prematurely returning to areas where homes are demolished, services are non-existent, jobs nowhere to be found and where debris from conflict has not yet been safely cleared.
“We have a window of opportunity to ensure sustainable assistance is provided now in ways that allow for the eventual return home. International donors should step up their support to enable Syrians to get back on their feet and rebuild their lives after years of conflict and displacement,” said Achilles.
Notes to editors
- NRC surveyed 4,106 displaced Syrians in the northwest Syria, mainly in Idlib, between 10th December 2024 and 7th January 2025 to gauge their intention to return to areas of origin following the fall of the previous government. NRC also interviewed people in Homs and Aleppo provinces, where many have returned after years of displacement.
- A majority of respondents originally came from Idlib, Hama, Aleppo, Homs, Latakia and Damascus. 92 per cent were displaced before 2019.
- Only 8 per cent said they intended to return to their areas of origin. 50 per cent of those surveyed said they were not planning to return within the next three months. Another 23 per cent said they were undecided.
- Among those surveyed, 1,600 had managed to visit their area of origin. Of those, 72 per cent indicated that their homes were completely destroyed or uninhabitable. A further 19 per cent said their homes needed substantial renovation or reconstruction.
- Around 3.4 million people, including two million people in 1,500 camps, live in the northwest (UNHCR).
- In 2024, less than 35 per cent of the funding appeal by UN and partners for 4 billion US dollars to support people in need across Syria was covered (OCHA).
- For January-March 2025, the UN and partners have appealed for 1.2 billion US dollars to meet the most urgent humanitarian needs. So far, the appeal is less than 10 per cent funded (OCHA).
For information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
- NRC's global media hotline: media@nrc.no, +47 905 62 329
- Ahmed Bayram, Middle East and North Africa regional media adviser: bayram@nrc.no, +962 790 160 147