Syrians flock home from Turkey for Eid despite danger

Syrians flock home from Turkey for Eid despite danger
Syrian refugees living in Turkey have been entering Idlib, in northern Syria, for the Eid al-Adha holiday. The administration of the Bab al-Hawa border crossing started to allow people in through on Aug. 6 and will continue to do so through Aug. 19.

Within the first two days, 5,000 people had crossed. On Aug. 9, their number reached 8,000. The crossing administration expects the number of people crossing into Syria to spend the holiday to reach 40,000.

The crossing administration announced that Syrians who wish to pass through must register and book their date on the crossing’s website, provided that they meet certain conditions.

Mazen Alloush, the director of public relations and information at Bab al-Hawa crossing, told Al-Monitor that by Aug. 16, 30,000 had crossed.

Alloush noted, “The crossing administration has tried to provide all the needed facilities to Syrians wishing to enter Syria. We provided free buses and have tried to facilitate the process. … Everything has been organized from the moment they exit Turkish territory until they leave the Bab al-Hawa crossing station. 

Omar Ahmad, another official at Bab al-Hawa crossing, told Al-Monitor, “Upon their arrival to Bab al-Hawa, visitors have to clearly state how long their holiday is inside Syria. Many Syrians do not wish to stay long as they are committed to their jobs in Turkey or to their studies in university. 

The Eid holiday is an opportunity for thousands of Syrian refugees living in Turkey to visit their hometowns and villages they left years ago, and a chance to meet friends and relatives after having been separated for a long time. Some Syrians have not visited Syria for four or five years.

Displaced Syrian Samer Maari told Al-Monitor, “My family and I are very happy that we were able to cross into Idlib to spend the holiday with our family and friends. My children missed their grandparents. My family and I have been living in Turkey since 2015 and we are staying there for the meantime. But we will spend the next month in Idlib before we return to Turkey, as my children must be there before the start of the school year.”

Syrian refugees residing in Turkey were allowed to enter Syria for the Eid al-Adha from two other crossing points in the Euphrates Shield area in northern and northeastern Aleppo countryside. One of them, the Bab al-Salama crossing, has been open since Aug. 1. By Aug. 16, it had processed 300,032 visitors. The Jarablus crossing opened on the same date and by Aug. 15, 13,194 people had passed through.

Alloush explained, “Many families are coming from Turkey to spend the Eid holiday wish to remain in their hometowns and cities and will not return to Turkey — of course, if the security situation remains stable and the regime does not attack the area.” But heavy shelling on Idlib and other areas under the Syrian opposition’s control could change many of those optimistic plans.

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