The International Organization for Migration (IOM) facilitated the voluntary return of 152 Syrians in vulnerable situations from Libya to Damascus on 8 October 2025, marking the first Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) flight to Syria organized by IOM this year. The operation, departing from Tripoli, was conducted at the request of the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates and assisted families who had been living in Libya for over a decade.
IOM provided pre-departure support in Tripoli, and upon arrival in Damascus, returnees received reception assistance and onward transportation to their final destinations, primarily in Aleppo, Hama, and Homs. Over the coming months, individual reintegration assistance will be provided to help these families rebuild their lives. This VHR operation was supported by the EU-funded Migrant Protection, Return, and Reintegration in North Africa (MPRR-NA) programme.
According to IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix, 581,000 Syrians have returned from abroad since December 2024, mainly from Türkiye and Lebanon. Since 2015, IOM Libya has assisted over 105,000 migrants in returning safely to their countries of origin. IOM officials highlighted that the flight underscores the organization’s commitment to voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable returns for vulnerable Syrian migrants, contributing to stability and development in the region.
IOM is now scaling up efforts in Syria to support sustainable reintegration through multisectoral, area-based approaches. With funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), a two-year project is planned in Aleppo Governorate to provide shelter via rehabilitation and rental assistance, strengthen access to housing, land, and property rights, deliver legal assistance, offer mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), and promote social cohesion through community initiatives.
Since 2014, IOM has delivered life-saving assistance in northwest Syria, reaching vulnerable communities with essential humanitarian aid. Beyond emergency relief, IOM continues programs in Syria including displacement data collection, protection services, shelter, provision of core relief items, and MHPSS, while expanding its presence and humanitarian operations across the country following formal approval from the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in July 2025.
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