Türkiye Announces ‘Voluntary’ Return of Over 500,000 Syrian Refugees

Syrian migrant Mohammad Dima with his children in front of their shelter in Ulus district, the old part of the Turkish capital Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022. (AP)
Syrian migrant Mohammad Dima with his children in front of their shelter in Ulus district, the old part of the Turkish capital Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022. (AP)
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Türkiye Announces ‘Voluntary’ Return of Over 500,000 Syrian Refugees

Syrian migrant Mohammad Dima with his children in front of their shelter in Ulus district, the old part of the Turkish capital Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022. (AP)
Syrian migrant Mohammad Dima with his children in front of their shelter in Ulus district, the old part of the Turkish capital Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022. (AP)

Türkiye’s deputy Interior Minister Ismail Catakli refuted on Monday reports about the compulsory deportation of Syrian refugees after being forced to sign voluntary return forms.

He affirmed that his country seeks to provide a safe environment for their return in the areas it is clearing in northern Syria.

Catakli announced that a total of 531,326 Syrians have so far returned to the safe zones established by Ankara in northern Syria, adding that there are currently 3,611,143 Syrians in Türkiye.

He affirmed that as is the situation in other countries, Türkiye is also affected by migrants, noting that Turkish security services are making strenuous efforts to prevent illegal migration.

The number of complaints from Syrians residing in Türkiye and human rights organizations has recently increased, citing “an escalation of forced deportations of young people, some of whom are studying in Turkish universities and others who hold temporary protection cards,” after they were forced to sign voluntary return forms.

Many Syrians said their situation worsened in Türkiye after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced in early May a plan to encourage one million Syrian refugees to return to their country by building them housing and local infrastructure there.

Some said that the pressure of the Turkish opposition, in light of preparation for the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections, prompted Erdogan's government to expedite the deportation of Syrians.

Türkiye has rejected allegations of arbitrary detention and deportation of dozens of Syrians to their country during the past months.

The Presidency of Migration Management described a recent report by Human Rights Watch, in which it accused Turkish authorities of arresting and deporting Syrian refugees arbitrarily, as “scandalous and far from reality.”

It affirmed that Syrians are signing the voluntary return form in the presence of a witness, and that they are directed to the way out towards their country.

It also indicated in a statement that over 500,000 Syrian refugees have returned “voluntarily” to areas in northern Syria since 2017 and accused the human rights organization of ignoring international praise for Türkiye’s “exemplary” policy adopted regarding refugees.



Group Reports ‘Unprecedented Surge’ in Approvals for West Bank Israeli Settler Homes

An Israeli army soldier hangs a wooden beam carrying an Israeli flag banner atop the Ayoub Abdel-Basit al-Tamimi family home, which was allegedly taken over by Israeli settlers overnight, in Hebron city near the Israeli settlement area of Tel Rumeida in the occupied West Bank on March 24, 2025. (AFP)
An Israeli army soldier hangs a wooden beam carrying an Israeli flag banner atop the Ayoub Abdel-Basit al-Tamimi family home, which was allegedly taken over by Israeli settlers overnight, in Hebron city near the Israeli settlement area of Tel Rumeida in the occupied West Bank on March 24, 2025. (AFP)
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Group Reports ‘Unprecedented Surge’ in Approvals for West Bank Israeli Settler Homes

An Israeli army soldier hangs a wooden beam carrying an Israeli flag banner atop the Ayoub Abdel-Basit al-Tamimi family home, which was allegedly taken over by Israeli settlers overnight, in Hebron city near the Israeli settlement area of Tel Rumeida in the occupied West Bank on March 24, 2025. (AFP)
An Israeli army soldier hangs a wooden beam carrying an Israeli flag banner atop the Ayoub Abdel-Basit al-Tamimi family home, which was allegedly taken over by Israeli settlers overnight, in Hebron city near the Israeli settlement area of Tel Rumeida in the occupied West Bank on March 24, 2025. (AFP)

An Israeli anti-settlement group says there has been an “unprecedented surge” in approvals for new settler homes in the occupied West Bank since US President Donald Trump returned to office.

During his first term, Trump strongly backed Israel’s claims to territories seized in war, at times upending decades of American foreign policy. Previous administrations have admonished Israel over settlement expansion while taking little action to curb it.

The Peace Now group, which closely tracks settlement growth, said Monday that plans for 10,503 housing units in the West Bank have been advanced since the start of the year, compared to just 9,971 in all of 2024. It says another 1,344 homes are set to be approved on Wednesday.

Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war, along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. The Palestinians want all three for their future state and view settlement growth as a major obstacle to a two-state solution.

Israel has built well over 100 settlements that are now home to over 500,000 settlers with Israeli citizenship. The 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank live under Israeli military rule, with the Western-backed Palestinian Authority administering population centers.