Bab al-Hawa, Syria – After seven years aside, Hussein al-Ahmed made the journey from Turkey, and at last reunited along with his household in northern Syria.
Nevertheless it was not any change associated to the struggle in Syria that introduced him again.
As an alternative, al-Ahmed is likely one of the 1000’s of Syrian refugees in Turkey who’ve taken benefit of a rest in rules following the devastating earthquakes that hit southeastern Turkey and northern Syria a month in the past.
Turkish authorities now enable Syrian refugees residing in earthquake-hit provinces to voluntarily return to opposition-controlled northwestern Syria after which come again – so long as they don’t spend longer than six months away.
For Syrians residing within the 10 Turkish provinces most deeply affected by the earthquakes, the place so many buildings have been destroyed and lots of stay unsafe, Syria – a rustic they fled as a result of now 12-year struggle – all of a sudden seems extra interesting, albeit quickly.
“After my sister and I spent 10 days in public parks, I didn’t have any alternative apart from return to Syria via the voluntary return system that was introduced,” stated al-Ahmed, a 30-year-old refugee initially from northern rural Hama who lives within the metropolis of Iskenderun in southern Turkey.
The determined situation of the southern Turkish provinces hit by the earthquakes, and the shortage of kin in different provinces, are among the many pull elements which have inspired some Syrians to make the journey to northern Syria. There, they’ve kin and might be able to a minimum of safe a shelter earlier than once more contemplating whether or not to remain or to return to Turkey, as soon as earthquake-hit areas have been rebuilt.
The variety of Syrian refugees who arrived in Syria through the Bab al-Hawa, Bab al-Salam, and Jarablus border crossings has reached virtually 40,000.
“The variety of refugees arriving via the Bab al-Hawa crossing is sort of 15,000,” Mazen Alloush, director of media relations on the Syrian facet of the crossing between the nation and Turkey, informed Al Jazeera.
Alloush stated that the voluntary return programme extends solely to holders of the momentary safety allow, and isn’t open to holders of vacationer residency permits, and even twin Syrian-Turkish residents.
A Turkish defence ministry official additionally informed Reuters final week that 40,000 Syrians had returned to their residence nation.
Since April final yr, Syrians had been prevented from making spherical journeys again to Syria, and weren’t allowed to return to Turkey in the event that they crossed the border.
The difficulty of Syrian refugees in Turkey, who quantity greater than 3.75 million, has been a controversial one in recent times, with rising anti-Syrian sentiment among the many Turkish public.
Alternative to get away
For al-Ahmed, his deliberate three-month journey to Syria gives a chance to get away from what he skilled in the course of the earthquakes, which killed greater than 50,000 folks in each Turkey and Syria, however he’ll then must return.
“I’ll return to Turkey after my voluntary return ends as a result of my household lives in a refugee camp right here and I don’t need to improve their burden,” al-Ahmed stated. “I additionally should resume work so I can safe a residing for me and my household right here.”
For others, the chance to return residence allowed them to lastly say goodbye to members of the family that had handed of their absence.
Malak Khazna, a Syrian refugee who has lived within the Turkish metropolis of Antakya for the previous 9 years, misplaced her mom two years in the past, however had been unable to return for concern of being caught in Syria.
“My primary purpose for returning is visiting my mom’s grave. Maybe she would forgive me for after I couldn’t say goodbye and handle her throughout her sickness,’ Khazna informed Al Jazeera.
Khazna stated that the destruction brought on by the earthquake had reminded her of her experiences in the course of the struggle in Syria, the place buildings have been toppled and civilians have been caught beneath the rubble.
“My keep is for 3 months. I’ll stay with my son and his household,” stated Khazna. “If I discover issues to be secure, and there aren’t any air strikes, I’ll stay right here and gained’t return to Turkey. I went to Turkey to flee the [Syrian President Bashar] al-Assad regime’s air strikes – I didn’t go there to settle.”
The quake-stricken, southern Turkish provinces host the best numbers of Syrian refugees in Turkey, in gentle of their proximity to the Syrian borders, and their low lease and price of residing compared to the opposite provinces.
A number of the refugees who resided in these provinces have now determined to make a everlasting return after the earthquake, during which many misplaced their jobs and their belongings.
Hassan Hasram, a father to eight youngsters, is a Syrian refugee who lived in Antakya.
Now, after dropping his grandson and son-in-law within the earthquake, he has determined to return to Syria.
“I can’t transfer to a different province due to lease skyrocketing after the earthquake in most Turkish provinces. Additionally, my household is large and I gained’t be capable of afford our bills after dropping my office,” stated Hasram.
Hasram informed Al Jazeera that he has no kin in addition to his sister, who lives in a refugee camp close to the Syrian-Turkish border, and her tent wouldn’t be sufficient to shelter him and his household.
And so, between the choice of the tent he at the moment lives in, and making the dangerous journey again to Syria, he has determined to go residence.
“Issues are very dangerous within the camp [in Turkey]. There’s a severe scarcity of assist, whether or not when it comes to meals, or heating, and even consuming water,” Hasram stated. “Turkey is now a part of the previous, and I gained’t be capable of return once more.”