More than 192,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan have returned home since Assad’s fall

More than 192,000 Syrian refugees registered with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Jordan have voluntarily returned to the Syrian Arab Republic since the fall of the Bashar Assad regime on Dec. 8, 2024.

Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad Momani confirmed in a post on X that Amman supported the voluntary return of Syrian refugees, in accordance with international law.

He added on Tuesday that Jordan would continue to uphold its humanitarian responsibilities toward refugees. He discussed with Maria Stavropoulou, the representative of the UNHCR in Jordan, the efforts being made to ensure their safe living conditions.

The UNHCR says nearly 16,000 refugees have returned to Syria since the beginning of the year: a total of 4,500 in January, 3,900 in February, 3,400 in March, and 4,000 in April.

An estimated 6 million Syrians fled the country during the civil war that began in 2011. Jordan received about 628,000 refugees, according to UNHCR figures as of December 2024, when power changed in Damascus.

Zaatari became a major refugee camp in Jordan, housing around 140,000 Syrian refugees at one stage during the civil war. It has since developed into a small town of prefabricated homes and has electricity, water, healthcare, and schools. It is now home to 75,000 people.