THE HAGUE, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- A group of 84 Syrians left the Netherlands on Monday on a government-chartered flight to Damascus, the first such operation organized by Dutch authorities, reported public broadcaster NOS.
The passengers boarded voluntarily, with most either holding temporary residence permits or awaiting decisions on asylum claims, said the NOS report quoting the Dutch Ministry of Asylum and Migration.
According to government figures, more than 700 Syrians have left the Netherlands this year, out of a community of about 150,000. The returns follow the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government in December 2024, which Dutch officials argue has made Syria safe for more refugees to go back.
The Dutch foreign ministry continues to advise against all travel to Syria, maintaining its highest-level red warning. ■
