Return of Syrians: Myth or Reality


Teke Lloyd F. A., Aksu Kargin I., Kurtoğlu A., Sirkeci I.

Border Crossings, cilt.15, sa.1, ss.33-53, 2025 (Hakemli Dergi)

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 15 Sayı: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.33182/bc.v15i1.2905
  • Dergi Adı: Border Crossings
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: JUFO Portal - Levels 1, 2, 3 (Federation of Finnish Learned Societies), ERIHPlus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.33-53
  • Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

The Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, has resulted in one of the largest refugee crises since World War II, displacingmillions of Syrians both internally and internationally. Türkiye, which hosts over 3 million Syrian refugees, has becomea focal point for discussions on refugee return and integration. With the collapse of the Ba'athist regime in December 2024and the rise of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the question of whether Syrian refugees will return to their homeland orremain in Türkiye has gained urgency. This paper employs the Conflict Model of Migration to analyze the physical,political, legal, economic, and social conditions influencing Syrian refugees' decisions to return or stay. The study arguesthat refugees' perceptions of human security in both Türkiye and Syria play a critical role in shaping their migrationchoices. While Türkiye offers relative stability and access to basic services, ongoing political instability, economicdevastation, and social fragmentation in Syria create significant barriers to return. The paper concludes that, in the shortto medium term, most Syrian refugees are likely to remain in Türkiye due to the perceived insecurities in their homecountry. However, the Turkish government's efforts to facilitate repatriation, coupled with international support, mayinfluence future return dynamics. This study contributes to broader discussions on refugee crises, integration policies, andthe long-term implications of mass displacement.