Amman, Aug. 29 (SANA) About 220,000 Syrian refugees registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) voluntarily returned from Jordan to Syria between December 8, 2024, and August 24, 2026, according to UNHCR spokesperson Yousof Taha.
Taha told Jordan’s Al Mamlaka TV that nearly 45,000 Syrian refugees had returned home since the beginning of 2026, with the pace of returns increasing following the end of the school term and improved weather conditions.
He said 59% of returnees returned as full families, while 41% were partial family returns. The average weekly return rate stands at about 1,300 refugees, with daily peaks ranging between 200 and 344.
Syrians account for about 92% of refugees and asylum seekers registered with UNHCR in Jordan, numbering around 350,000 out of approximately 375,000 people.
About 79.1% of registered refugees live in urban areas and host communities, totaling 300,097 people, while 20.9%, or 79,226, live in camps.
UNHCR has also expanded assistance for voluntary returns from the Zaatari and Azraq camps, providing eligible vulnerable families with an additional one-time payment of JD210 ($300), on top of the basic JD70 provided for each returning family member.
The individual payment is intended to help cover immediate return-related expenses, including transportation, documentation and medication. The additional family assistance is targeted at households with specific vulnerabilities recorded by UNHCR, including those with persons with disabilities or serious medical conditions, children with specific needs, single parents or caregivers, and families of eight or more members.
Jordan hosts one of the world’s largest refugee populations relative to its population. UNHCR says most refugees in the country live in urban areas rather than camps.
N.J/MF
