2.10.7. Conflict-induced displacement and return

Table of contents

IOM’s population movements assessments in Syria, which started as of February 2025, show that Damascus’ IDP population hardly changed between February 2025 (around 589 000 out of a total population of approximately 1.96 million, 30 %)1059 and April 2026 (around 589 000 out of a total population of approximately 1.9 million, 31 %).1060

The fall of Assad has encouraged voluntary returns of Syrians from Türkiye.1061 As of March 2026, about 38 000 Syrians in Egypt had prepared their return to Syria since December 2024. 41 % (about 15 000) had origins in Damascus.1062 In February1063 and March 2026,1064 return activities even to the heavily destroyed district of Yarmouk, and, in April 2026, to the Qaboun and Tishreen neighbourhoods, were reported - though not to Jowbar.1065

According to UNHCR estimates, as of 21 May 2026, around 288 000 people had returned from abroad1066 and around 53 000 IDPs1067 had returned to Damascus governorate since December 2024. Since the end of February 2026, cross-border movements into Syria from Lebanon intensified. Between 2 March and 12 April 2026, 1 001 to 5 000 returnees intended to resettle in Damascus.1068

  • 1059

    IOM, Syrian Arab Republic – Community Baseline Assessment – Round 1 – February 2025, 6 March 2025, url, p. 8

  • 1060

    IOM, Syrian Arab Republic – Population Mobility and Baseline Assessment – Round 15 – April 2026, 18 May 2026, url, p. 7

  • 1061

    UNHCR, Voluntary Repatriation of Syrian Refugees in Türki̇ye: UNHCR in Türkiye - April 2026, 14 April 2026, url

  • 1062

    UNHCR, Regional Flash Update #69 - Syria Situation, 20 March 2026, url, p. 6

  • 1063

    DW, Back to Yarmouk: A Syrian family rebuilds and seeks justice [Video], 9 February 2026, url; DW, Return to Syria: Rebuilding and seeking justice in Yarmouk [Video], 7 February 2026, url

  • 1064

    Wohlan, M. et al., Weltzeit - Die Kriegsverbrechen in Yarmouk [World Time – The War Crimes in Yarmouk] [Podcast], Deutschlandfunk, 16 March 2026, url

  • 1065

    Syria Direct, Reconstruction plan for eastern Damascus neighborhoods alarms residents, 20 April 2026, url

  • 1066

    UNHCR, Syrian Arab Republic: Comprehensive Overview of Refugee Returns Dashboard [Map], 21 May 2026, url

  • 1067

    UNHCR, Syrian Arab Republic: Comprehensive Overview of IDPs and IDP Returns Dashboard [Map], 21 May 2026, url

  • 1068

    UNHCR, Syria: Flash Update #2 - Middle East Situation (13 April 2026) [Map], 14 Apr 2026, url