Syrians lined up at the Turkish border on Wednesday to return home afterward Expel the rebels President Bashar al-Assad, speaking about their expectations for a better life after what was over a decade of difficulties in Türkiye.
“We have no one here. We will return to Latakia, where we have family,” Mustafa said as he prepared to enter Syria with his wife and three children at the Silvgozu border gate in southern Turkey. Dozens of other Syrians were waiting to cross.
Mustafa fled Syria in 2012, a year after the conflict there began, to escape forced conscription into Assad’s army. He said that he worked for years in unregistered jobs in Türkiye and earned less than the minimum wage.
“Now there is a better Syria. God willing, we will have a better life there,” he said, expressing confidence in Syria’s new leadership as he eyed the family’s belongings, bagged clothes and a television set.
The civil war that broke out after the 2011 uprising against Assad has killed hundreds of thousands of people and pushed millions abroad.
Türkiye, which hosts three million Syrians, has extended the operating hours of the Celvegozo border crossing near the Syrian city of Aleppo, which was captured by rebels at the end of November.
A The second border gate was opened in nearby Yayladagi district In Hatay on Tuesday.
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There were about 350-400 Syrians daily Crossing already They returned to rebel-controlled areas of Syria this year before the opposition rebellion began two weeks ago. Ankara says the numbers have nearly doubled since then, anticipating a significant increase after Assad’s departure.
Türkiye has supported Syrian opposition forces for years, but said it had done so No involvement Over the weekend, opposition forces succeeded in overthrowing Assad after 13 years of civil war.
About 100 trucks were waiting to cross the border, carrying goods, including dozens of used cars. Security forces helped manage the flow of people, while relief organizations provided snacks for children and tea and soup for adults.
“Our people” are in charge now
Haya was waiting to enter Syria with her husband and three children. They have been living in a nearby container camp since devastating earthquakes in February 2023 killed more than 50,000 people in Türkiye and Syria.
“We had good neighbors and good relationships, but the container is not a home,” Haya said as she soothed her six-month-old daughter and her daughter translated her comments from Arabic.
“We will return to Aleppo. Iman has a school here, but we have nothing else. We will return to our home, to our family,” Haya said, adding that her brother had been released after years in prison after Assad’s ouster.
The new interim Syrian Prime Minister He said that he aims to return millions of Syrian refugees, protect all citizens and provide basic services, but he acknowledged that this would be difficult because the country, which is subject to long sanctions, lacks foreign currency.
Mustafa expressed confidence in the new leadership after Assad was ousted by opposition fighters led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group formerly affiliated with al-Qaeda that has since downplayed its jihadist roots.
“Those who seized power are not strangers. They did not come from the United States or Russia. They are our people. We know them.”
