Syrians want to return home: Turkish justice minister

GAZİANTEP

Turkey’s Justice Minister Abdülhamit Gül said on June 11 that Syrian refugees in Turkey want to return home as the Turkish army has provided security with anti-terror operations in northern Syria.

“As Syria becomes more safe with [Turkey’s military] operations Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch, our guests want to go back to their homeland,” Gül told state-run Anadolu Agency in an interview.

He said Turkey has sacrificed a lot for its neighbors.

“They thank Turkey and want to return to their homeland,” he said.

Nearly 39,000 Syrians have returned to their homes, especially in Azaz, Afrin, Jarabulus, and al-Bab, which were secured by Turkey’s military operations, according to an official at the migration department in Turkey. 

A total of 76,000 Syrians had applied online to Turkish authorities to spend their Eid al-Fitr holiday in Syria, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

Muslims across the world will soon celebrate Eid al-Fitr, a three-day festival that follows the holy fasting month of Ramadan. 

Syrians will return to Turkey between June 26 and July 6.

Turkey, the largest host country of Syrian refugees, has been praised by the international community for providing top care and protection to more than 3 million refugees.

Along with shelter, food, and educational support, Turkey offers psychological and social support to the refugees.

Operation Euphrates Shield, which began in August 2016 and ended in March 2017, was aimed at eliminating what Turkey called threats along the Turkish border with the use of the Free Syrian Army, backed by Turkish artillery and air cover. 

On Jan. 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch to remove the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) from northwestern Syria’s Afrin region.

On March 18, day 58 of the operation, Turkish troops and Free Syrian Army members captured the town of Afrin while also neutralizing 4,497 militants.