Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya on Wednesday reported that at least 81,000 Syrian refugees in Türkiye have voluntarily returned to their country since the fall of the Assad regime.
Speaking at an event in the capital, Ankara, Yerlikaya emphasized Türkiye currently hosts more than 4.1 million foreign nationals, including 2.86 million Syrians.
Recalling the collapse of the 61-year-old Baath regime, Yerlikaya stated, "Türkiye has stood against oppressors and alongside the oppressed, taking our place on the right side of history.
"With Syria achieving freedom, voluntary, safe, dignified and regular returns have gained momentum. Since Dec. 9, a total of 81,576 of our Syrian brothers and sisters have returned to their country voluntarily, safely, honorably and regularly."
Noting that since 2017, this number has reached 821,579, he said: "We continue to provide the necessary support to ensure that the returns take place in a healthy manner and that the process proceeds smoothly."
"As the Interior Ministry, we manage all aspects of migration with a holistic and strategic approach. We can confidently say that Türkiye is a model country in migration management," he said. "Our fundamental principle in migration management is an approach that respects human rights and freedoms, adheres to our civilizational values and does not compromise public order and security."
Experts, however, do not expect to see a large wave of further returns as some of the refugees have spent more than a decade in Türkiye, and around 1.5 million of them are minors who have had most, if not all, of their education in their host country. Earlier voluntary returns to Syria were largely tied to the creation of safe zones in Syria’s north.
Türkiye launched several cross-border military operations in the region against the terrorist groups Daesh and the PKK/YPG in the past decade, helping the Syrian opposition gain control of wide swathes of land in the north.
Since the current rulers of Syria toppled the Baathist regime, Ankara has pledged support for the recovery and reconstruction of the war-torn country. On the other hand, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan repeatedly said no one would be forced to return to Syria and that they would continue hosting those wishing to stay. The government also granted a limited permit for returnees to return to Türkiye, which they called home for years.
Yerlikaya also said authorities deported more than 142,500 irregular migrants in 2024 and carried out nearly 7,900 operations against human smugglers, arresting over 5,100 suspects.
Türkiye has also introduced new measures to streamline legal migration, including digital systems to prevent illegal employment and initiatives such as a "Tech Visa" to attract skilled workers.
Yerlikaya underscored that Türkiye is working closely with neighboring countries to manage migration challenges and prevent the country from becoming a destination for irregular migrants.
