Syrians living in Turkey return home in northern Syria

Syrians who had fled to Turkey from their homeland in formerly Kurdish-held territory in northern Syria have started to return on Friday to areas, following the Turkey military operation, Turkish news agency said.

Around 70 Syrians, including women and children, living in Turkey’s southeastern border province of Sanliurfa set off from the Viransehir and Ceylanpinar districts after applying to local authorities to return home, Anadolu Agency reported.

As life returns to normal in the district of Ras al-Ayn after Operation Peace Spring, maintenance and restoration efforts continue in the area in northern Syria,.

Crossing the border, they showed their gratitude to the Turkish military personnel, with National Syrian Army teams welcoming them on the other side.

Turkey hosts some 3.6 million refugees who fled the eight-year-old civil war, more than any other country. The Syrian population in Istanbul, home to some 15 million people, had swollen to more than half a million, according to Reuters.

Muazzin al-Muhammad, one of the returning Syrians, told reporters they were happy that Ras al-Ayn had been liberated from terrorists.

"We have been living in Turkey for seven years. I’m so happy, we are returning to our country," al-Muhammad said.

"We thank you [Turkish] President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for everything," he said, adding that he was 11 when he left Ras al-Ayn.

Abdulazim al-Muhammad also said he was very happy to go back to his country, and thanking Turkey for its hospitality.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch last month published reports saying Turkey is forcibly sending Syrian refugees to northern Syria. Turkey’s Foreign Ministry called the claims in the reports “false and imaginary.”

Turkey on Oct. 9 launched Operation Peace Spring, to eliminate the YPG militia from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

Ankara wants YPG militia to withdraw from the region so that a safe zone can be created to pave the way for the safe return of some two million refugees.

Eight years of war in Syria have killed 560,000 people and driven half the pre-war population of 22 million from their homes, including more than 6 million as refugees to neighbouring countries.

Zaman Al Wasl