Now Reading: First batch of Syrian Kurds returns to border town after years of displacement
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First batch of Syrian Kurds returns to border town after years of displacement
First batch of Syrian Kurds returns to border town after years of displacement
A first group of Syrian Kurds headed for the northeastern border town of Ras al-Ain on Monday, months after a January 2026 integration deal between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the…
The Story in Brief
A first group of Syrian Kurds headed for the northeastern border town of Ras al-Ain on Monday, months after a January 2026 integration deal between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian government. The agreement included the return of displaced Kurds but residents had been waiting, prompting appeals for help.
Jawan Isso from a committee of displaced people said about 2,500 people were in the "first batch" and a second would follow in days. Tens of thousands of Kurds were displaced when Turkey and allied Syrian fighters seized the Arab-majority border strip from Kurdish control in 2019. Returnee Nora Khodor, 37, called it "like a dream" to go home.
The Indian Opinion
The return of Kurds to Ras al-Ain is a fragile step forward, but the narrative that Turkey's 2019 offensive was purely anti-terror conveniently ignores the ethnic cleansing it produced. Returnees find their homes looted or destroyed, while fighters who took them may still live there. Will the new central authorities in Damascus ensure property rights and prevent a repeat displacement? The second batch will be the test.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
