Syrians who came home after al-Assad's fall find a complicated reality

Syrians who returned home after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime are facing a difficult reality, according to reports from multiple sources. Nearly two years since the end of al-Assad’s rule in December 2024, many returning citizens are finding that their homeland has undergone dramatic changes, often for the worse. The situation is particularly challenging for those who fled during the conflict and have now attempted to rebuild their lives in a country still struggling with the aftermath of war. The return of Syrians to their homes has been among the largest movements of people in recent history. By the end of May 2026, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) recorded approximately 1.67 million Syrians who had returned from neighboring countries, along with 1.92 million internally displaced individuals who had gone back to their original regions. This totals nearly 3.6 million people, primarily concentrated in Aleppo, Idlib, rural areas near Damascus, and the capital itself. These individuals are returning to a nation that the World Bank estimates has suffered over $108 billion in direct physical damage, with reconstruction requirements estimated at around $216 billion, roughly ten times Syria’s total gross domestic product in 2024. For some returning citizens, the transition has been painful. Samer, a former barber who returned from Turkey, expressed regret over his decision. He previously earned around $1,000 per month in Turkey, but now his income barely exceeds $250–$300. His colleague, Mustafa, who returned from Egypt, has a different experience. Mustafa lives in his family home without paying rent and works for the same barber who trained him. He earns about $300 a month, which is slightly better than what he managed after deducting Cairo rent from his Egyptian wages. Despite the differences, both men face similar challenges: high living costs, poor infrastructure, and unreliable electricity supply. The economic difficulties extend beyond daily earnings. Samer noted that barbershops in Damascus no longer offer the same range of services as before, and wages are insufficient to cover basic transportation expenses. He mentioned that traveling from his village in rural Damascus to the city center is a 20-kilometer journey, and the cost of this travel alone makes it hard to justify his current income. For him, the dream of buying a motorbike for $400 remains unattainable, highlighting the financial strain faced by many returning residents. Education is another area where returning families are encountering obstacles. Mawia al-Shaer, who returned from Germany with her three children, described the contrast between the education systems in Syria and Germany. Her children, who had studied in German, are now attending Arabic-language schools with a curriculum they are unfamiliar with. Private schools in Damascus charge at least $2,000 per child annually, while state schools are overcrowded and lack resources. Mawia cannot afford private education and doubts the quality of public schooling, fearing that her children may feel isolated and hesitant to attend classes due to the linguistic and cultural differences. Similarly, Amer Hassan, who returned from Germany with over $45,000 in savings, found himself unable to realize his dream of opening a restaurant. He invested in renting a space and preparing the premises but ran out of funds before the project could be completed. He lamented that if he had stayed in Germany, he would have had access to government-backed loans, allowing him to launch his business with much less capital. Now, he faces the daunting prospect of starting over. As these stories illustrate, the return of Syrians to their homeland is marked by uncertainty and hardship. Many are caught between the aspirations of rebuilding their lives and the stark realities of a country still recovering from years of conflict. Some, like Mustafa, find temporary stability, while others, such as Samer and Hassan, struggle to adapt. The path forward remains unclear, and the long-term impact of these decisions will likely shape the future of Syria for years to come.