Syrian army soldiers march during a parade marking the first anniversary of the ousting of the Bashar Al-Assad regime in Damascus, Syria, on Monday. Photo by Ahmad Fallaha/EPA
BEIRUT, Lebanon, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- More than 3 million Syrians, who sought refuge abroad or were displaced internally during the war have returned to their country and areas of origin since the fall of President Bashar Assad's dictatorship last year, according to the U.N. Refugee Agency, or UNHCR.
The U.N. agency, however, warned in a statement Monday marking the first anniversary of Assad's ouster that the country needs substantial international support to help more displaced people go back and ensure stability.
It said the fall of the Assad's regime on Dec. 8, 2024, opened "an extraordinary window" of hope for peace and stability in Syria, paving the way for an "historic return" of more than 3 million displaced people.
They include 1.2 million Syrians who have voluntarily returned from neighboring countries and more than 1.9 million internally displaced people who have gone back to their areas of origin, while many more have expressed a desire to return, the statement said.
