The United Nations announced Friday that more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons have returned to their areas of origin following the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024—a significant humanitarian development amid Syria’s shifting political landscape.

The announcement was made by Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), during a virtual press briefing.

Wosornu stated that “an estimated 16.5 million people in Syria remain in need of humanitarian assistance and protection,” underscoring the ongoing severity of the crisis despite recent political changes.

She added that the UN and its partners “reach an average of 2.4 million people each month through both cross-border and in-country operations.”

While the large-scale return of displaced Syrians is viewed as a positive step, the UN warned that humanitarian challenges remain immense, especially given the widespread destruction of infrastructure and the lack of basic services in many regions—highlighting the critical need for sustained international support during this transitional phase.