800 Kurdish families return to Syria’s Afrin under agreement

Shafaq News- Qamishli

Around 800 Kurdish families returned on Tuesday from Syria’s Hasakah province to their homes in Afrin and its countryside under an agreement between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Shafaq News correspondent in northeast Syria reported that the convoy marks the third organized return, following the transfer of 400 families in mid-March and 200 earlier this month. Dozens of buses and vehicles departed from Qamishli toward Aleppo via the M4 highway before continuing to Afrin under tight security.

Ahmed al-Hilali, spokesperson for the Syrian presidential team overseeing SDF integration, described the move as a sign of “tangible progress” in preparing conditions for displaced residents. He pointed to recent meetings with communities in Ras al-Ain (Sere Kaniye) that addressed security concerns, particularly in areas such as Nashwa and Gweiran, highlighting ongoing coordination with relevant authorities to support “a gradual and stable return” while addressing service challenges.

In January, the Syrian government and the SDF reached a comprehensive ceasefire agreement that includes the gradual integration of military structures between the two sides. The deal also provides for integrating Autonomous Administration institutions into state structures, retaining civil employees, settling civil and educational rights for the Kurdish community, and facilitating the return of displaced residents to their hometowns.