Ammon News - The number of Syrian refugees who have voluntarily returned from Jordan to Syria since December 8, 2024, through August 24, 2026, has reached approximately 220,000 refugees registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), according to UNHCR spokesperson Youssef Taha.

Taha said around 45,000 Syrian refugees have returned to Syria since the beginning of the current year, noting that the pace of returns has increased following the end of the school year and improving weather conditions.

He added that 59% of returnees left as part of full-family returns, while 41% involved partial returns by individual family members. The average weekly number of returnees stands at around 1,300, with daily peaks ranging between 200 and 344 returnees.

Syrian refugees account for approximately 92% of all refugees and asylum seekers registered with UNHCR in Jordan, numbering around 350,000 out of nearly 375,000 refugees.

Taha noted that around 79.1% of refugees live in urban areas and host communities, totaling 300,097 refugees, while 20.9% live in camps, totaling 79,226 refugees.

UNHCR has introduced a new pilot phase under its voluntary refugee return program at the Zaatari and Azraq camps, providing vulnerable families with an additional $300 (JD210) in assistance in response to growing demand for returns. This is in addition to the basic cash assistance of JD70 per returning individual, provided as a one-time payment to cover immediate return-related expenses such as transportation, obtaining documents, and medication.

According to UNHCR, the additional assistance is limited to the most vulnerable families, including those with persons with disabilities, serious medical conditions, or children with special needs. It also covers families headed by single parents or caregivers, as well as families of eight or more members, provided they hold valid asylum documents and choose to return to Syria.