Ankara to build 240,000 houses for Syrians’ return

ŞANLIURFA

Türkiye is working on a project to construct some 240,000 new houses in northern Syria’s 13 regions to enable a safe return to Syrians, Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu has said.

Among the 13 regions are Jerablus, Tell Abyad, Ras al-Ayn and Al Bab, the provinces cleared off terrorists by Turkish army in Operation Euphrates Shield.

Visiting Tell Abyad to monitor the latest construction works, Soylu held a press conference in the northern Syrian province on June 18.

“After Idlib, Türkiye will now construct some 240,000 new briquette houses,” Soylu said, adding that the first stage of the construction on 1,200 decares of land has already been finished.

“Some 64,000 people are estimated to reside at the location of the first stage of the project.”

When asked about the sizes of the houses, the minister highlighted that there will be three types of houses.

“The houses will be 60, 80 and 100 square meters,” he said and added: “Syrian families will reside in these houses based on the number of family members.”

The Syrians will have the right to own the houses after residing “for some time.”

The minister remarked that millions had to flee the country or relocate inside the country due to the civil war.

Making a call to the Syrians living in Türkiye, Soylu said, “We will organize a safe and an honorable return to those who want to go back voluntarily.”

According to local reports, Türkiye has already constructed some 50,000 briquette houses in the northern Syrian province of Idlib in 2021.

Following the military incursions and clearing the region of the terrorists in Operation Olive Brach, Operation Euphrates Shield and Operation Spring Peace, Türkiye has rolled up its sleeves to pave way for Syrians’ return.

The Presidency of Migration Management, an institution affiliated with the Interior Ministry, on May 26, announced that some 3.7 million registered Syrians are living in Türkiye.