This photo, taken on June 17, 2026, shows children walking in Baqa'a refugee camp, about 20 kilometers north of Amman, Jordan. Commemorated annually on June 20, World Refugee Day honors and celebrates the strength and bravery of refugees, individuals forced to flee their homelands due to conflicts, persecution or human rights violations. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)
AMMAN, June 20 (Xinhua) -- As the world marks World Refugee Day on Saturday, political changes in Syria have renewed hopes of return for Syrian refugees. Yet for some of them in Jordan, going home remains a difficult decision shaped by security and economic concerns, and the challenge of rebuilding lives after years of displacement.
For 27-year-old Syrian refugee Noor Ismail, who is from the Damascus suburb of Darayya and lives in Jordan, returning home remains a distant hope rather than an immediate possibility.
Ismail fled Syria with her parents and brothers in 2013 as the country's civil war intensified. More than a decade later, the family remains in Jordan, where they have managed to build a life despite persistent economic hardship.
Although recent political changes in Syria have encouraged some refugees to consider returning, Ismail said her family is not yet ready.
This photo, taken on June 17, 2026, shows children in Baqa'a refugee camp, about 20 kilometers north of Amman, Jordan. Commemorated annually on June 20, World Refugee Day honors and celebrates the strength and bravery of refugees, individuals forced to flee their homelands due to conflicts, persecution or human rights violations.(Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)
"Before the war, our situation was much better. We owned our home, we did not pay rent, and my father had a stable job," she said, adding that their house was destroyed during the war.
"If the situation improves economically and becomes more secure, we will definitely return. We do not want to stay in Jordan forever," she said.
Despite spending much of her adult life in Jordan, Ismail recently visited Syria for the first time in years and realized that the country felt unfamiliar. "The people seemed like strangers to me, and I no longer knew the streets."
In contrast, 43-year-old Syrian refugee Ahmad Hussain said he plans to return to Syria with his family before the end of the year after spending nearly 14 years in Jordan.
Hussain, who is originally from the southern Syrian province of Daraa, said political developments in Syria have encouraged him to seriously consider returning despite the challenges that remain.
This photo, taken on June 17, 2026, shows a girl in Baqa'a refugee camp, about 20 kilometers north of Amman, Jordan. Commemorated annually on June 20, World Refugee Day honors and celebrates the strength and bravery of refugees, individuals forced to flee their homelands due to conflicts, persecution or human rights violations. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)
"We know that life will not be easy when we go back, but Syria is our country," he told Xinhua. "For years, we dreamed of the day when we could return home."
He said his family has already begun discussing arrangements for their return and has been in contact with relatives in Syria to assess living conditions and employment prospects.
"We have heard that services are still limited in some areas, and jobs are not easy to find, but we want our children to grow up in their homeland and among their relatives," he said.
Hussain acknowledged that rebuilding his life would take time, particularly after years of displacement, but said remaining in Jordan indefinitely is not part of his long-term plans.
For many, the desire to return remains strong, but the timing remains uncertain.
"Return must be voluntary, safe and dignified," Yousef Taha, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson in Jordan, told Xinhua.
This photo, taken on June 17, 2026, shows children in Baqa'a refugee camp, about 20 kilometers north of Amman, Jordan. Commemorated annually on June 20, World Refugee Day honors and celebrates the strength and bravery of refugees, individuals forced to flee their homelands due to conflicts, persecution or human rights violations. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)
According to Taha, thousands of Syrian students have continued their school and university education in Jordan over the past decade, while many refugees have launched small businesses in sectors such as handicrafts, food production and services, helping support their families and improve their self-reliance.
While UNHCR has observed growing interest among refugees in exploring return options, many remain cautious despite expressing a strong desire to eventually go back to Syria, he said.
The Jordan Times reported in early June, citing UNHCR figures, that about 196,000 Syrian refugees had voluntarily returned from Jordan to Syria from Dec. 8, 2024 to the end of May this year. However, around 329,000 Syrians remain in Jordan, reflecting the complex realities surrounding return decisions. ■
