LONDON: Around 1.3 million people returned to Syria in 2025, marking one of the largest refugee return movements in the world in that year, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The number of Syrian refugees has now dropped to 4.9 million as more people have returned to their homes following the collapse of the Bashar Assad regime in December 2024. However, Syria remains one of six countries accounting for the majority of refugees globally, along with Afghanistan, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine and Myanmar.

UNHCR reports sharp rise in returns to Afghanistan and Syria amid West Asia conflict shaping new displacement trends

The decline reflected displaced people who returned home last year in countries including Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and Syria.