KILIS: Syrian children born in Trkiye to refugee parents are visiting Syria for the first time after the fall of the 61-year Baath regime. The collapse of the Assad regime has prompted a wave of returns among Syrians who sought refuge in Trkiye during the 13-year civil war.
According to Anadolu Agency, families are arriving at the Kilis Oncupinar Customs Gate in Trkiye’s southern Kilis province to cross into Syria, completing formalities at the Repatriation Center under the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management. Among those making the journey is Mahmod Hamido, who fled Syria with his wife Sibel 11 years ago, initially settling in Istanbul before moving to the central Kayseri province. The couple, who have worked various jobs and raised five children in Trkiye, are taking their children to Syria for the first time.
Mahmod Hamido recounted to Anadolu that he fled to Trkiye with his wife at the onset of the Syrian civil war, seeking safety. He expressed gratitude to Trkiye, stating his love for the co
untry, and shared his happiness about reuniting with their homeland, Aleppo.
Emphasizing a similar sentiment, Valid El Seyhi, who arrived in Trkiye’s southern Gaziantep province with his family 12 years ago, expressed appreciation for Trkiye’s role in providing safety. El Seyhi noted that his children, too, have never seen their homeland and expressed hope for the future, saying, “There will be a new life in Syria. Everything is starting anew for us.”