With the New Year approaching… Afrin IDPs demand safe return

As 2026 approaches, hopes among Afrin’s displaced population for returning home have been rekindled following the fall of the Baath regime, particularly after the March 10 agreement signed between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the transitional government, which stipulated the return of the displaced. However, these promises have yet to be translated into concrete steps on the ground. Meanwhile, crimes and violations committed by the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries such as abductions, killings, and looting continue, making any return at present fraught with danger in the absence of security and safety guarantees.

In this context, ANHA agency conducted a series of interviews with a number of forcibly displaced Afrin residents living in the Youth Housing complex in the city of Hasakah, in al-Jazira Canton, where they shared their views and demands regarding a return to their homes.

Displaced resident Jamila Hussein Al-Aqil said:

“We hope to return safely to our areas, and we call on the United Nations to provide real international guarantees for us. If there are no international guarantees, we will not be able to return, because fear still dominates us due to the ongoing violations.”

For his part, Zakaria Hamza Sheikh Mohammad explained his suffering, saying:

“Since 2018 we have been displaced. Even before that, many of our homes were destroyed in Aleppo, then we moved to Afrin, but our stay there did not last long. As the new year approaches, our greatest wish is to return to our homes under international guarantees and to live freely and safely like everyone else. Before our return, the mercenaries present there must be removed. There can be no talk of safety as long as abductions and arrests continue. Today, there are no longer any excuses for the transitional government not to take these steps.”

Nasreen Mohammad, in turn, expressed her desire to return with dignity, saying:

“We want to return to Afrin with dignity, without suffering or fear. When we return, we want real security guarantees and to feel that we are the rightful owners of our land. Afrin’s children and its people have been suffering for years, and we want to return to our land so that we can rebuild it anew.”

Abdo Hannan Sayyid emphasized the humanitarian and national dimension of the return, stating:

“Our hope is to return to our homes and properties, for Syria to find peace, and for all its sons and daughters Kurds, Arabs, and all other components to return to their homes. We want love to prevail among people and to live as brothers. Our return must be dignified, and everyone should return together to their homes.”

As these demands continue, displaced Afrin residents affirm that any return without clear international guarantees, a complete halt to violations, and accountability for those responsible will remain unsafe. Caught between suspended hopes and a harsh reality, thousands of displaced people await concrete steps in the new year that would restore their right to a safe and dignified return to their homes.

It is worth noting that the city of Afrin was occupied in March 2018, leading to the displacement of tens of thousands of its original residents.

ANHA