ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Families returning to their hometown of Sari Kani in northeastern Syria (Rojava) will each be given a stipend of $1,000, a Syrian IDP committee spokesperson said Friday, noting the first organized convoy scheduled for this upcoming Monday.
"This is the first organized group of displaced persons to return. As soon as this convoy departs, our committee will immediately begin preparations for the second convoy," spokesperson for the Sari Kani internally displaced persons (IDP) committee Mahmoud Jamil told Rudaw’s Nushin Heme.
According to Jamil, the first group of returnees includes 600 to 620 families. Each family will receive $1,000 in assistance to aid in their transition, with transportation costs covered by the Autonomous Administration, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other relevant organizations.
The Kurdish-majority city of Sari Kani, also known in Arabic as Ras al-Ain, and its surrounding areas fell under the control of the Turkish army and Ankara-backed armed groups following a military operation in October 2019 which led to the displacement of tens of thousands of Kurdish, Arab, and other residents into camps like nearby Washokani.
Jamil stated that preparations for a second convoy are expected to be completed within 10 days, as the relatively short 80-kilometer distance between Sari Kani and the province of Hasaka simplifies the logistical process compared to returns to regions such as Afrin.
While the return process initially began in Afrin, Jamil said, focus shifted to Sari Kani after the area was cleared of explosives.
Despite this progress, several issues still remain, such as the danger of mines and unexploded ordnance, the destruction of homes or their occupation by others, as well as the people's need for security guarantees and basic services, explained Jamil.
“Prior to their return, these families have been educated on how to protect themselves from the remnants of war,” he said.
On January 29, Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reached a landmark agreement to end the fighting, facilitated by mediation from United States (US) Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack and political leaders from the Kurdistan Region, which established the framework for the safe return of these displaced populations.
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