About 700 Kurdish families in Syria prepare to return to Serêkaniyê
About 700 displaced Kurdish families are preparing to return to their homes in Serêkaniyê in northeastern Syria after being forced to leave because of Turkey’s 2019 military operation. Preparations for the second convoy were reported by the Jerusalem Post, citing Kurdish media outlet Rudaw.
Hasakah Governor Nur al-Din Ahmed told Rudaw that preparations are underway for families to return to villages and homes. Some people are to return to the city center under the supervision of a special commission. It includes representatives of security forces, the district administration, the leadership group, the governorate and local organizations.
Return from the Washokani camp
The Serêkaniyê Committee for Internally Displaced Persons said that 689 families are preparing to return from the Washokani camp in Hasakah. The decision was made after security guarantees were provided.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
In mid-August, the first convoy, consisting of 410 Kurdish families, departed from the Washokani camp for Serêkaniyê. According to Rudaw, the Syrian transitional government provided each family with $10,000 to repair homes that had been occupied by armed groups. The outlet also reported that some families were attacked by local residents after returning; according to Rudaw, they were likely Arabs.
Consequences of the 2019 operation
Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring in the Serêkaniyê area, also known as Sari Kani and Ras al-Ain, in October 2019. Due to fighting between the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces, Turkey and the Ankara-backed Syrian National Army, thousands of Kurds were forced to leave the region.
The Jerusalem Post links the possibility of return to the policy of the new Syrian government and to a reconciliation and integration agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and Syria’s authorities. The agreement came into force in March 2025, and its implementation intensified after clashes in January. At the same time, on September 8, Kurdish students protested over the insufficient number of Kurdish-language lessons in schools, where Syrian authorities are promoting a predominantly Arabic-language curriculum.
