Turkiye to print Syrian IDs, passports as cooperation with HTS expands
Ankara plans to end the refugee status of Syrians in Turkiye and set up offices in Syria to regulate their entry and exit
Following the overthrow of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's government, Turkiye is set to issue new identity cards, passports, and driving licenses for Syrian citizens, according to a report by the Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah on 30 December. The initiative aims to assist Ankara in ending the refugee status of millions of Syrians now in Turkiye.
Daily Sabah reported that Syrian refugees currently living in Turkiye will have their refugee status terminated. They will now be required to apply for a residence permit if they wish to remain there. Syrians seeking to visit Turkiye will need to use their passports to apply for a visa to enter the country.
The Turkish Migration Management Directorate plans to establish offices in Syria to work with the new Syrian officials in managing the entry and exit of Syrians to and from Turkiye.
Millions of Syrians fled their homeland after the start of the covert, US-backed war on Syria that began in 2011. Some three million became refugees in Turkiye.
US allies, including Turkiye, provided weapons, funding, and foreign fighters for Al-Qaeda-linked armed groups seeking to topple the Damascus government.
After over a decade in Turkiye, Syrian refugees have faced increasing racism and discrimination from ultra-nationalist Turks. Promises to expel Syrians from Turkiye marked the 2023 presidential elections.
Daily Sabah notes that over 25,000 Syrians have returned home from Turkiye after US and Turkish-backed militants from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) ousted president Bashar al-Assad on 8 December. HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa – also known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani – has become the de facto ruler of the country and continues to coordinate closely with Turkish officials.
The Turkish paper cited a survey from Istanbul-based AREDA claiming 91 percent of Syrians in Turkiye are happy with the fall of Assad's government and 71.5 percent are hopeful about their country's future.
The study showed that 45 percent of Syrians are willing to return home if the situation in Syria improves, while 26 percent wish to go back “as soon as possible.”
However, the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) writes that “For many Syrians, conditions on the ground in Syria are too fluid to know whether and when return will be safe, let alone desirable.”
The institute says that in addition to political uncertainty about which factions will control different areas of Syria, returnees will face massive housing shortages and limited work opportunities, particularly in the agricultural, construction, and industrial sectors.
While many Syrians have returned to their country following Assad's removal, many have likely come back temporarily to celebrate, see loved ones, or assess the conditions of their former homes, MPI added.