Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
DAMASCUS, June 21 (Xinhua) — The situation in Syria remains both “fragile and encouraging” amid the continued return of displaced persons, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said on Friday.
Speaking at a press conference in Damascus to mark World Refugee Day during his second visit to Syria this year, he said that since December 2024, some 2 million Syrians have returned to their homes, including both refugees and internally displaced persons.
Grandi told Xinhua that about 1.4-1.5 million internally displaced Syrians have returned to their homes, while another 600,000 or so have returned from neighboring countries, including Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey. “Two million is still only a fraction of the total, but it is a significant number,” he said.
Sudan has overtaken Syria in terms of the scale of its displacement crisis, the high commissioner said, with 14 million people displaced from their homes – 10 million to other parts of the country, and another 4 million abroad. “It’s a sad competition,” he said. “But the fact that Syria is no longer in first place points to the possibility of ending the crisis.”
Despite the ongoing return of refugees, Grandi warned of difficult living conditions in Syria and called for increased international support. “Infrastructure, housing, energy, health and education services all need to be restored to ensure that the return of people is sustainable,” he stressed. “I call on the international community to help Syria meet this challenge,” the High Commissioner added. He stressed that the country urgently needs basic services, security and funds for reconstruction. –0–