Days ahead of the Muslim holiday Qurban Bayram or Eid al-Adha, hundreds of Syrian refugees who have lived in Türkiye for years are queuing up at the border gates to celebrate the holiday in their homeland.
Border officials at the Öncüpınar customs gate in southern Kilis province have been processing Syrian families who wish to make a permanent return in time for Eid.
In past years, Türkiye has occasionally allowed refugees to travel home for religious holidays, but this time, Syrians look forward to ending their refugee status after their country was liberated from the oppressive Assad regime when the civil war ended last December.
Türkiye streamlined border crossing procedures after the fall of the regime, as hundreds of people flocked to the borders to return home.
Temporary protection status still remains for thousands of others, as Syria is still not fully inhabitable for many, due to damage left by years of conflict.
Authorities allowed a few round trips until July for refugees to check whether they can resume their lives in their land of birth.
Ahmet Ismail, 25, who fled Syria to Türkiye seven years ago due to the civil war, said Syria remained in his thoughts every day.
“The war in Syria is now over, I’m going back home,” he said as he waited to cross the border. “I thank President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Turkish people. I’m happy I will spend Eid in my country.”
Nineteen-year-old Ekrem Ömer was happy to celebrate Eid with his family in his homeland.
“I fled the war to be safe in Türkiye, but I decided to return when peace was restored in Syria,” 23-year-old Zayd Elcubeydi said.
He has not seen his family in four years.
“I will meet them again and I’m happy I will be home for Eid,” he said, thanking Türkiye and the people of Türkiye.
Last week, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that the number of Syrian refugees who left for home after the fall of the Assad regime has reached 250,064.
Overall, more than 1.1 million Syrians have departed since 2016.
Türkiye has been home to millions from its southern neighbor as the Assad regime escalated attacks on the opposition and the country’s civil war dragged on. At one point, Türkiye was home to the largest Syrian refugee community in the world.
Syria's civil war killed over half a million people and left the country in desperate need of reconstruction. Western sanctions imposed on Assad were recently lifted, paving the way for a potential recovery.
