Turkey’s 2018 military operation Olive Branch, carried out in cooperation with factions of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA), led to the displacement of approximately 300,000 civilians from Afrin, northwest Syria. Most displaced persons have remained in camps and towns across northern Aleppo for the past seven years, while others relocated to Aleppo city, eastern Syria, or sought refuge abroad.
Despite the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024, which has prompted returns in many Syrian regions, the displacement of Afrin’s residents has been further exacerbated. Many families experienced a second wave of forced displacement from northern Aleppo due to the Dawn of Freedom military operation by the SNA, in conjunction with the Deterrence of Aggression operation led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
The displaced face ongoing challenges, primarily the absence of tangible mechanisms and credible guarantees for a safe, dignified, and voluntary return. Reports continue to document arbitrary arrests, torture, looting, and property seizures against returnees, and many have been unable to reclaim their homes or land.
Afrin remains contested between several actors: the transitional government in Damascus (now in control of Afrin), the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES – which hosts thousands of Afrin IDPs), Turkish-backed Syrian factions, and Turkey itself, which has wielded significant influence in Afrin over the past years.
Recent political developments—such as efforts to reduce factional control in Afrin, ongoing negotiations over Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiyeh, and Tishrin Dam—offer a glimpse of hope. However, the persistence of competing security apparatuses, continuous rights violations, and lack of accountability remain key barriers to return.
