25 October 2026 — A convoy carrying 220 displaced Syrian families left camps in northern Idlib on Sunday and headed for hometowns across the country, the latest step in an effort called “Syria Without Camps”. According to Syria’s state news agency SANA, as reported by Arab News, the families are returning to Hama, Homs, Aleppo, Deir Ezzor, Latakia, Damascus and the outskirts of Idlib after years in tents and makeshift shelters.
Key facts
- Families returning: 220, in a single convoy
- From: displacement camps in Idlib governorate, including the Al-Karama camps
- To: Hama, Homs, Aleppo, Deir Ezzor, Latakia, Damascus and Idlib’s outskirts
- Support: bedding kits, food baskets and canned food from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the Violet charity
- Wider picture: more than 3.5 million Syrians have returned since late 2024, according to UN figures cited in the report
Going home after more than a decade
Among those on the convoy was Fatima Al-Ahmad, who had lived in tents and temporary housing for 13 years. She returned to Qleidin village in the Al-Ghab Plain of Hama and said she was “relieved to finally return home.” Another returnee from the Al-Karama camps, Murhaf Al-Saffan, went back even though his house was partly damaged, describing the long years of hardship that camp residents had lived through.
The return was coordinated by several authorities, including the Northern District of Social Affairs and Labor in Idlib, whose director Mohammad Bakir was involved in the effort. The Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the Violet charity supplied each family with essentials for the first days back.
Why the camps matter
Syria’s war, which began in March 2011, displaced more than 13 million people at different points, with over 6 million becoming refugees abroad and more than 7 million uprooted inside the country. Idlib in the north-west became home to some of the largest camp settlements, where families spent many winters in tents. Since the fall of the Assad government in late 2024, returns have picked up, but many people still face damaged homes, limited services and an uncertain income once they get back.
Also read: Aleppo’s historic Umayyad Mosque reopens (Urdu) | Yemen displacement nears 260,000 as Taiz fighting intensifies
What it means for Muslim readers
For many Muslims in India, Syria is tied to history and faith — from Damascus and Aleppo’s old Masjids to the scholars who taught there for centuries. A family returning to its village after 13 years is a reminder of the Islamic value of sabr and of the duty to support those rebuilding their lives. Muslims who want to help can give Sadaqah or Zakat through registered, transparent relief organisations, and check how funds are used before donating.
What happens next
The report did not give a timetable or an overall target for future convoys. For returning families, the immediate questions are practical: repairing damaged homes, getting children back into school and finding work. Background on the situation of displaced and returning Syrians is available from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
FAQ
What is “Syria Without Camps”?
An initiative that helps displaced Syrians leave camps and return to their home areas, with transport and basic supplies.
How many Syrians have returned so far?
More than 3.5 million since late 2024, according to UN figures cited by Arab News.
More from the Muslim world: International news
Source: Arab News (citing SANA) — Hundreds of Syrian refugee families return home after years in camps
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