The UN refugee agency expects 1 million Syrian refugees to return in early 2025 but urges nations not to force returns, citing ongoing humanitarian needs and uncertainty after rebels seized power.
A U.N. refugee agency official said on Tuesday that some 1 million Syrian refugees are expected to return to the country in the first six months of 2025, asking states to refrain from forcing them to do so.
A lightning rebel advance swept Syria's President Bashar al-Assad from power this month, shocking the world and raising the prospect that some of the millions of people who fled the country during its 13-year civil war might return.
"Now we have forecasted that we hope to see somewhere in the order of 1 million Syrians returning between January and June next year so we shared this plan with donors, asking for their support," said Rema Jamous Imseis, UNHCR Director for the Middle East and North Africa.
"We have massive humanitarian needs on a scale that hasn't in any way diminished," she added, noting that 1 million people have been internally displaced since the rebel advance began.
In the immediate aftermath of the rebels seizing power, thousands of people fled Syria, while thousands had also returned to the country mostly from Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, Imseis said.
She added that some of those fleeing could be linked to the former government or else be religious minorities with concerns about their standing under the new authorities, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group which once had ties to al-Qaeda.
Countries should be patient as Syrian refugees consider whether to return, she added. "It's important to maintain that protection for Syrians who have already found refuge in host countries, and that they are not forcibly returned to Syria," she said.
Asked about some countries' decisions to freeze asylum applications for Syrians, she said: "We have been very clear in the non returns advisory to all countries. It is just far too soon to make this determination on the safety and stability of Syria and there are many questions that are that need to be answered."
The United Nations is ordering over 60 offices and agencies to submit plans to cut 20% of their staff by mid-June as part of a wide reform effort to address a serious budget gap.
Palestinians gained the right to fly their flag at the World Health Organization following a vote at the annual assembly in Geneva, supported by 95 member states.
At a global conference in Baku, UN Under-Secretary-General Miguel Ángel Moratinos called out the institutional bias and social restrictions faced by Muslims, urging collective action against rising Islamophobia.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged maximum restraint following India’s missile strikes on Pakistani territory, warning that a military confrontation between the two countries would carry global consequences.
An IAEA team arrived in Iran for technical talks after Rafael Grossi’s visit, amid renewed Iran-U.S. nuclear negotiations and concerns over Tehran’s uranium enrichment nearing weapons-grade levels.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has commended President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan for his "rational and balanced policy" in developing the country’s energy resources, particularly amid growing global demand for oil and gas.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Egypt on a one-day visit and is scheduled to visit Lebanon on Tuesday on the second leg of his tour of the two Arab countries with which the Islamic Republic is re-adjusting its relations.
Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu will make an official visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran on June 7, 2025, following an invitation from the Iranian government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan announced on Monday.
The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and Canada’s Gran Tierra Energy Inc. signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the sidelines of the 30th Anniversary International Caspian Oil and Gas Exhibition held as part of Baku Energy Week.
Azerbaijan and Iran have reached a key agreement on the operation mode and water allocation of the Araz reservoir, following the 54th meeting of the Permanent Joint Commission on the shared use of the Araz River's water and energy resources, held in Baku.
On May 28, the inauguration ceremony of Lachin International Airport was held.
Taxi drivers across France are protesting government plans to cut payments for driving patients to medical appointments. These cuts are part of a broader effort by Prime Minister François Bayrou to save €40 billion in the 2026 budget and reduce the country’s large deficit.
EU ministers have greenlit a massive €150 billion defense investment fund—dubbed the Security Action for Europe (SAFE)—as the bloc ramps up its military readiness in response to Russia’s aggression and growing uncertainty over U.S. security guarantees.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
As peace talks progress, voices from Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku reveal hopes, concerns, and expectations for a future shaped by trade, trust, and generational change in the South Caucasus.
The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and Canada’s Gran Tierra Energy Inc. signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the sidelines of the 30th Anniversary International Caspian Oil and Gas Exhibition held as part of Baku Energy Week.
Heavy flooding has wreaked havoc in southwestern China’s Yunnan province, destroying dozens of homes and vital infrastructure in the Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, local authorities reported on Monday.
UN Headquarters in New York, powerful voices from France’s overseas territories accused Paris of sustaining colonial control under new names, demanding sovereignty, reparations, and justice for people of African descent.
Karol Nawrocki’s narrow win in Poland’s presidential race signals a sharp turn in tone toward both the European Union and Ukraine, raising questions over Warsaw’s future alignment in Central Europe.
In a significant development toward de-escalating the ongoing war, Russia on Monday formally presented Ukraine with a comprehensive peace proposal, outlining steps for a full ceasefire and a long-term peace agreement, according to Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has commended President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan for his "rational and balanced policy" in developing the country’s energy resources, particularly amid growing global demand for oil and gas.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Egypt on a one-day visit and is scheduled to visit Lebanon on Tuesday on the second leg of his tour of the two Arab countries with which the Islamic Republic is re-adjusting its relations.
Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu will make an official visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran on June 7, 2025, following an invitation from the Iranian government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan announced on Monday.
The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and Canada’s Gran Tierra Energy Inc. signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the sidelines of the 30th Anniversary International Caspian Oil and Gas Exhibition held as part of Baku Energy Week.
Azerbaijan and Iran have reached a key agreement on the operation mode and water allocation of the Araz reservoir, following the 54th meeting of the Permanent Joint Commission on the shared use of the Araz River's water and energy resources, held in Baku.
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