Bulletin of the Centre for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides and Refugee Migration Monitoring (16 March 2023)

I. Return of refugees from abroad

Over the past 24 hours, 101 refugees have returned from abroad, including 96 refugees (including 28 women, 49 children) from the territory of Lebanon through the checkpoints in Jdeidat Yabous and Talkalakh, five refugees (including 2 women, 3 children) from Jordan through the checkpoint in Nasib.

In total, 824,232 persons have returned from abroad since 18 July 2018, including:

from Lebanon: 423,575 persons (including 127,290 women, 215,708 children), through the checkpoints in Jdeidat Yabous: 254,266; Talkalakh: 162,275; Zemrani: 4,346; al-Dabusiyeh: 1,834; al-Qusayr; 854;
from Jordan through the checkpoint in Nasib: 400,657 persons (including 120,273 women, 204,424 children).

As of 28 February 2023, there are 6,844,479 Syrian refugees in 43 States (Turkey: 3,500,964; Germany: 863,000; Lebanon: 814,715; Jordan: 661,854; Iraq: 259,584; Egypt: 145,157; Sweden: 124,000; the Netherlands: 80,270; Austria: 65,645; Canada: 50,000; Greece: 42,000; Denmark: 34,015; France: 32,680; Norway: 31,000; Belgium: 28,530; USA: 22,560; Switzerland: 20,811; Cyprus: 15,000; United Kingdom: 19,964; Spain: 8,000; Italy: 6,356; Brazil: 3,594; Ireland: 3,445; Luxembourg: 2,500; Bulgaria: 1,812; Malta: 1,280; Serbia: 1,100; Poland: 898; Portugal: 800; Romania: 1,600; Finland: 550; Lithuania: 447; Czechia: 398; Argentina: 315; Bosnia and Herzegovina: 213; Iceland: 188; Croatia: 67; Slovenia: 60; Peru: 52; Hungary: 18; Albania: 15; Uruguay: 12; Slovakia: 12).

The estimated number of the Syrians who have manifested their desire to return to their home country from 15 States is 1,297,168 (Lebanon: 645,128; Jordan: 458,021; Turkey: 70,041; Germany: 60,115; Greece: 30,372; the Netherlands: 29,244; Canada: 2,517; Iraq: 847; Malta: 541; Denmark: 150; Austria: 103; Lithuania: 30; Uruguay: 24; Argentina: 18; Switzerland: 17).

In total, since 30 September 2015, 1,053,512 persons (316,221 women, 537,054 children) have returned to Syria from abroad.

Currently, there are 13 checkpoints deployed:

on the Lebanon–Syria border: five (Jdeidat Yabous, Talkalakh, Zemrani, al-Dabusiyeh, al-Qusayr);
on the Syria–Jordan border: one (Nasib);
inside Syria: five (al-Salihiyeh, Jaleb, Seraqib, Miznas, Abu Azeidin);
aerial: one (Damascus International Airport);
maritime: one (Baniyas).

The leadership of Syria takes active steps to enhance the effectiveness of the process of the return of Syrian refugees from abroad.

II. Internal displacement

The withdrawal of refugees to the places of their permanent residence has not been performed within 24 hours.

The withdrawal of refugees through the checkpoint in al-Salhiyeh (Deir ez-Zor province) has not been performed. In total, 106,378 persons (including 43,091 women, 34,641 children) have returned and 2,482 units of equipment have been withdrawn since August 25, 2018.

The withdrawal of refugees through the checkpoint in Jaleb (Homs province) has not been performed. In total, 25,903 persons (including 7,076 women, 12,325 children) have returned and 1,983 units of equipment have been withdrawn since 19 February 2019.

The withdrawal of refugees from the Rukban camp has not been performed. In total, 21,374 persons (including 6,049 women, 10,607 children) have abandoned the camp and 996 units of equipment have been withdrawn since 19 February 2019.

The withdrawal of refugees from the Idlib de-escalation zone has not been performed.

In total, 46,801 persons (including 15,142 women, 21,284 children) have abandoned the zone and 4,818 units of equipment have been withdrawn since the 4th of March 2018.

Since the 13th of January 2020, the zone has been abandoned by 1,873 persons (including 687 women, 761 children), 63 units of equipment have been withdrawn.

Total since 30 September 2015, 1,375,965 internally displaced persons (women: 424,411, children: 678,641) returned to their places of permanent residence, since 1 January 2023: 28 persons.

III. Cities and localities ready to receive refugees

Refugee reception and accommodation points able to host 1,502,650 persons are deployed in 413 localities least affected by combat actions.

IV. Infrastructure rehabilitation

The assessment of the infrastructure, social facilities, the availability of building materials and material means has been performed in ALEPPO and MAYADIN (Deir ez-Zor province). To improve the living conditions of the Syrian citizens and to complete the restoration of the infrastructural facilities, it is necessary to deliver to:

ALEPPO: an excavator, a tipper lorry,18 m³ of brick, 25 windows, 15 t of building bars, 1,820 kg of finishing materials, 1,770 m of water pipes, 1,490 m of electric cable to restore a pumping station, three residential buildings and a school.
MAYADIN: a mobile crane, three tipper trucks, 30 windows, 22 m³ of brick, 20 m³ of cement, 19 t of building bars, 2,300 kg of finishing materials, 1,100 m of water pipes, 2,700 m of electrical cable to restore an electrical substation, a kindergarten and a bakery.

In total, since July 20, 2018, in the Syrian Arab Republic:

1,006 educational and 260 medical establishments, 5,057 residential buildings, 42.01 km of water supply systems, 13 potable water wells, four cultural and leisure facilities, six administrative buildings, 0.6 km of pavement have been restored;
six motorway bridges and 1,948.4 km of motor roads have been repaired;
1,530.24 km of electric power transmission lines have been laid;
308 water facilities, 328 bakeries, 854 electrical substations, four filling stations, 14,455 industry enterprises, 194 light fittings have been put into service.

Currently, 2,670 residential buildings, 225 schools, 178 preschool establishments, 283 water-pumping stations and 89 places of worship are being restored and repaired in 345 localities of the provinces of Aleppo, Rif Dimashq, Deir ez-Zor, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Daraa, al-Suwayda, al-Quneitra and Raqqa.

V. Humanitarian and medical assistance

Over the past 24 hours, Russian representatives have carried out five humanitarian campaigns in LATAKIA, ALEPPO, and HAMA during which the citizens, affected by the earthquake in the Syrian Arab Republic, have been provided with 12,648 t of humanitarian aid: 2 t of medical supplies, 7,1 t of bulk food, 30 pieces of blankets, 30 pieces of mattresses, 3,3 t of equipment for rubbles removing.

In total, 3,428 humanitarian campaigns have been organised and held. The Syrian citizens have received 6,686,7652 tonnes of groceries, bottled water, and articles of prime necessity.

The healthcare professionals of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation have provided no medical assistance to the Syrian citizens.

In total, the healthcare professionals have provided medical assistance to 132,874 residents of Syria.

VI. Mine clearance

Over the past 24 hours, the engineering units of the Syrian Arab Republic Armed Forces have performed no demining tasks in the area and at facilities.

In total, 6,860 hectares of the terrain, 3,112 buildings (structures), 273.4 km of roads have been cleared of mines. A total of 43,888 explosive remnants, including 5,961 IEDs, have been detected and destroyed.

VII. Arrangements for refugee reception

The state programme on restoration of localities in the territory liberated from militants is being implemented in the provinces of Aleppo, Damascus, and Hama. The programme includes three stages: infrastructure preparation (water supply, electrification), targeted assistance to the population and the return of residents to their places of permanent residence.

The Coordination Committee of the Syrian Arab Republic on the Return of Refugees carries out social and economic measures to activate the national infrastructure rehabilitation, supply checkpoints, and enable the return of refugees from abroad to their places of permanent residence.

The officers of the Centre for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides and Refugee Migration Monitoring in the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic have held no working meetings on assistance in infrastructure rehabilitation and creating conditions for the accommodation of refugees.