Syrians in Turkey continue to return home

By Burak Milli

HATAY, Turkey

At least 9,880 Syrians in Turkey have returned to their country through the Cilvegozu border gate in Turkey's southern Hatay province in last three-and-a-half months, Turkish officials said.

The officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said Syrians who live in different provinces of Turkey come to Hatay's Reyhanli district and cross back to their country from the border gate.

Syrians are said to be returning to the secure areas that were cleared of PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists during Turkey's Operation Olive Branch.

There are approximately 3.5 million Syrians in Turkey, who have fled the civil war in their country.

Turkey on Jan. 20 launched Operation Olive Branch to remove YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Syria's northwestern Afrin. On March 18, Turkish troops and Free Syrian Army liberated the Afrin district center.