Ankara Plans Accelerating Syrian Refugee Return Through ‘Aleppo Development’

Spraying of the Zardana camp in northwestern Syria with water amid a significant rise in temperatures on Monday (AFP)
Spraying of the Zardana camp in northwestern Syria with water amid a significant rise in temperatures on Monday (AFP)
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Ankara Plans Accelerating Syrian Refugee Return Through ‘Aleppo Development’

Spraying of the Zardana camp in northwestern Syria with water amid a significant rise in temperatures on Monday (AFP)
Spraying of the Zardana camp in northwestern Syria with water amid a significant rise in temperatures on Monday (AFP)

Turkish media reports revealed that the government, under the instructions of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has established a tripartite mechanism aimed at accelerating voluntary repatriation efforts for Syrian refugees, with a focus on economic and social development in the Aleppo province in northwestern Syria.

The “Sabah” newspaper, closely aligned with the Turkish government, has stated that Erdogan issued directives to establish a tripartite mechanism consisting of representatives from the Ministry of Interior, the ruling Justice and Development Party, and its parliamentary bloc.

This mechanism aims to encourage Syrians to voluntarily return to areas being cleared by forces and factions loyal to Ankara.

The tripartite mechanism will concentrate its efforts on “revitalizing economic and commercial life in the areas cleared in northern Syria” and promoting entrepreneurs, including Turks, to establish projects, factories, and facilities there to provide employment opportunities for returnees.

Sabah highlighted a significant aspect of the roadmap being pursued by the mechanism, which is the emphasis on Aleppo province, known as Syria’s economic capital, with the goal of reviving it both economically and socially.

In pursuit of this, Türkiye continues negotiations with both the Russian and Syrian sides to include Aleppo in the roadmap, a move aimed at creating employment opportunities for hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees who will be encouraged to return to their homeland.

Last week, a writer for “Hürriyet Daily News” revealed two prominent issues concerning Syria that will be the focus of discussions between Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the latter’s potential visit to Türkiye in August.

The first issue is the return of refugees, and the second is the normalization between Ankara and Damascus, including a potential meeting between Erdogan and his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad.

The writer further emphasized the importance of the Erdogan-Assad meeting, as Türkiye’s priority lies in ensuring the safe return of Syrians to their homeland. They noted that a significant portion of Syrians in Türkiye are from the Aleppo province, and it is essential to guarantee their safe return to their original areas.

Ankara’s vision in this regard involves establishing security points in coordination between the Turkish and Syrian armies.



Germany Tells Israeli Government to Stop West Bank Settlement Construction

 A general view shows the E1 area, an open tract of land east of Jerusalem, between the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim, left and the occupied West Bank town of Eizariya, right, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (AP)
A general view shows the E1 area, an open tract of land east of Jerusalem, between the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim, left and the occupied West Bank town of Eizariya, right, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (AP)
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Germany Tells Israeli Government to Stop West Bank Settlement Construction

 A general view shows the E1 area, an open tract of land east of Jerusalem, between the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim, left and the occupied West Bank town of Eizariya, right, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (AP)
A general view shows the E1 area, an open tract of land east of Jerusalem, between the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim, left and the occupied West Bank town of Eizariya, right, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (AP)

Germany on Friday called on the Israeli government to stop settlement construction in the West Bank after Israel's far-right finance minister said work would start on a plan for thousands of home that would divide the Palestinian territory.

Germany "firmly rejects the Israeli government's announcements regarding the approval of thousands of new housing units in Israeli settlements in the West Bank," said a foreign ministry spokesperson in a statement.

Plans for the "E1" settlement and the expansion of Maale Adumim would further restrict the mobility of the Palestinian population in the West Bank by splitting it in half and cutting the area off from East Jerusalem, said the spokesperson.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Thursday that work would start on the long-delayed settlement, a move that his office said would "bury" the idea of a Palestinian state.

In a statement, Smotrich's spokesperson said the minister had approved the plan to build 3,401 houses for Israeli settlers between an existing settlement in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Germany has repeatedly warned the Israeli government to stop settlement construction in the West Bank, which violates international law and UN Security Council resolutions.

Such moves complicate steps towards a negotiated two-state solution and end to Israeli occupation of the West Bank, said the spokesperson.