More than 602,000 displaced Syrian nationals have returned back to their homes in Syria from the temporary residencies and refugee camps in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq over the past seven months, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Friday, adding that the majority of people returned to Syria's Aleppo province, Sputnik reported.
"Findings indicate that the vast majority of the people returning (84 per cent) had been displaced within Syria. The next highest number of people (16 per cent) returned from Turkey, followed by Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. Refugees returning from Turkey and Jordan reportedly returned mainly to Aleppo and Al Hasakeh Governorates," the press release read.
Some 27 percent of the displaced Syrians decided to return home to protect their assets, while 25 percent returned in the light of the country's improving economic situation. Among other factors that influenced the return were the deterioration of the economic situation at temporary residences, as well as social, cultural and political differences which hampered the integration in places of refuge, the statement added.
According to IOM, 97 percent returned to their own houses, while others are living with hosts or in abandoned houses.
Most of the displaced Syrians returned to the Aleppo province, the refugee agency said, stressing that the same trend was seen in last year.
"Half of all returns in 2016 were to Aleppo Governorate. The report shows that similar trends have been observed in 2017. Consequently, an estimated 67 per cent of the returnees returned to Aleppo Governorate (405,420 individuals), 27,620 to Idleb Governorate, and 75,209 to Hama Governorate, 45,300 to Ar-Raqqa Governorate, 21,346 to Rural Damascus and 27,861 to other governorates," the press release said.
According to the latest IOM figures, 6 million people still suffer from displacement in the Middle Eastern country.
