Syrians return from Eid al-Fitr visits to Turkey

KİLİS

Syrians are continuing to return to Turkey after temporarily going to their homeland to celebrate the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

Demirören New Agency said on June 24 that the number of Syrians who came back to Turkey, after spending the holiday with their families in their homeland, had reached 7,000.

A total of 20,576 Syrians crossed the Öncüpınar Border Gate in the Turkish southern province of Kilis to Syria prior to the Eid al-Fitr holiday. Their return to Turkey is continuing.

The Syrians are crossing the border to the Turkish side after going through a security check by provincial migration office officials and police.

Authorities have said that the deadline of the Syrians to come back to Turkey was Nov. 1.

Turkey has been hosting the largest number of refugees for five consecutive years, including more Syrian refugees than any other country.

Turkey on June 20 marked World Refugee Day by calling on the international community to show solidarity with forcibly displaced people worldwide.

In a statement, the country’s Foreign Ministry said the international community should “show more solidarity with these people and host countries in line with equitable burden and responsibility sharing.”