Exploring displacement in Syria through the lens of forced evacuations, demographic shifts and the humanitarian response to the crisis. https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/displacement/rss en Displacement Opposition Groups & Rebel Forces Mon, 14 May 2018 12:20:00 +0000 Hashem Osseiran https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/05/14/a-look-at-the-remaining-rebel-territory-in-syria https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/05/14/a-look-at-the-remaining-rebel-territory-in-syria After recapturing the Eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus in April, the Syrian government has worked to retake a significant portion of formerly besieged rebel holdouts in the country. Displacement Fri, 04 May 2018 11:35:02 +0000 Maja Janmyr https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2018/05/04/why-lebanon-objects-to-calls-for-voluntary-return-of-syrians-2 https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2018/05/04/why-lebanon-objects-to-calls-for-voluntary-return-of-syrians-2 As Lebanon holds elections, key politicians have stepped up tough talk on returning Syrian refugees. Maja Janmyr unpacks the political and legal basis of Lebanese opposition to refugee integration and to the international demand that returns must be voluntary. Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs Displacement Fri, 13 Apr 2018 07:10:00 +0000 Zouhir Al-Shimale, Areeb Ullah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/04/13/too-little-too-late-doumas-displaced-on-possible-u-s-action https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/04/13/too-little-too-late-doumas-displaced-on-possible-u-s-action Eastern Ghouta residents welcome possible western action against the Assad government but are unsure if it will bring about long-term benefits. Displacement Government & Pro-Government Forces Opposition Groups & Rebel Forces Thu, 12 Apr 2018 14:20:00 +0000 Hashem Osseiran https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/04/12/analysis-how-eastern-ghouta-fell-to-pro-government-forces https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/04/12/analysis-how-eastern-ghouta-fell-to-pro-government-forces A look at how five years of siege, increased airstrikes, a fierce ground operation, a string of evacuation deals and a suspected chemical attack led to the fall of the rebel stronghold in the Damascus suburbs. Displacement Fri, 06 Apr 2018 13:30:00 +0000 Hanan Elbadawi https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/04/06/the-second-exodus-tracing-the-footsteps-of-palestinian-refugees-in-syria https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/04/06/the-second-exodus-tracing-the-footsteps-of-palestinian-refugees-in-syria An estimated 550,000 Palestinian refugees registered in Syria are now facing secondary displacement due to the conflict, and many of them are facing deteriorating conditions and a protection gap in host countries, writes humanitarian expert Hanan Elbadawi. Displacement Thu, 29 Mar 2018 12:10:00 +0000 Hashem Osseiran, Youmna al-Dimashqi https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/03/29/fears-and-farewells-the-road-from-ghouta-to-idlib https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/03/29/fears-and-farewells-the-road-from-ghouta-to-idlib For the tens of thousands of evacuees from the East Ghouta suburbs of Damascus, the road from the opposition enclave to Idlib was fraught with challenges. Reaching the northern province, however, has done little to ease their fears and concerns. Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs Displacement Wed, 28 Mar 2018 12:30:00 +0000 Marika Sosnowski https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/03/28/besiege-bombard-retake-reconciliation-agreements-in-syria https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/03/28/besiege-bombard-retake-reconciliation-agreements-in-syria So-called reconciliation deals have become a coercive tool for the Syrian government to reclaim areas that have fallen outside its control, writes lawyer and researcher Marika Sosnowski. Displacement Human Rights Thu, 15 Mar 2018 11:10:00 +0000 Alex Silberman, Paul Clewett https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/03/15/how-syrian-refugees-in-turkey-define-safe-returns https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/03/15/how-syrian-refugees-in-turkey-define-safe-returns As host countries increasingly discuss the future of refugees and the possibility of returns, a new study from global social enterprise Seefar found that Syrians in Turkey share vastly different perspectives on the necessary conditions for return. Displacement Human Rights Thu, 01 Mar 2018 05:00:00 +0000 Hashem Osseiran https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2018/03/01/for-syrians-in-lebanon-no-formal-plan-for-return https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2018/03/01/for-syrians-in-lebanon-no-formal-plan-for-return The Lebanese government risks losing international support should it develop a formal repatriation plan for Syrian refugees. This has raised concerns that non-state actors will spearhead repatriation efforts, says Dima Mahdi of the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies. Arts & Culture Displacement Wed, 28 Feb 2018 05:00:00 +0000 Alessandria Masi https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/02/28/writing-syria-wendy-pearlmans-oral-history-of-the-revolution https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/02/28/writing-syria-wendy-pearlmans-oral-history-of-the-revolution Wendy Pearlman, author of “We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled,” speaks to Syria Deeply about how the conflict changed the way displaced Syrians tell their stories, and the shift from hope to disillusionment and eventually despair. Displacement Health Human Rights Mon, 26 Feb 2018 11:50:00 +0000 Abdulkarim Ekzayez https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2018/02/26/attacks-on-healthcare-look-like-a-strategy-for-forced-displacement https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2018/02/26/attacks-on-healthcare-look-like-a-strategy-for-forced-displacement There is reason to suspect health facilities are being deliberately targeted in eastern Ghouta in a bid to weaken the resilience of the community and make it more amenable to evacuation, writes Syrian doctor and fellow at Chatham House, Abdulkarim Ekzayez. Displacement Human Rights Tue, 20 Feb 2018 12:58:00 +0000 Ahmad Zaazaa https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/02/20/i-was-something-she-bought-syrian-men-marry-to-survive https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2018/02/20/i-was-something-she-bought-syrian-men-marry-to-survive Although much has been written about Syrian refugee women in Turkey being sold into marriage, little is known of the Syrian men selling themselves in wedlock. Two such refugees share their stories to shed light on what they say is a growing trend. Civil Society Displacement Thu, 01 Feb 2018 03:00:00 +0000 Hashem Osseiran https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2018/02/01/the-humanitarian-crisis-in-syrias-northern-de-escalation-zone https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2018/02/01/the-humanitarian-crisis-in-syrias-northern-de-escalation-zone The government’s ongoing offensive on Idlib province has already displaced thousands of civilians, many of whom previously fled violence in other areas, writes Cole Bockenfeld of the International Rescue Committee. Displacement Human Rights Mon, 22 Jan 2018 11:20:00 +0000 Hind Kabawat https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2018/01/22/idlib-women-in-jeopardy-what-comes-next https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2018/01/22/idlib-women-in-jeopardy-what-comes-next Attorney and Tanenbaum peacemaker Hind Kabawat writes about the deteriorating humanitarian situation for women in and around Idlib, where she cofounded the Jarjanaz and Darraya Women’s Peace Centre with the E.U. last year. Displacement Human Rights Wed, 27 Dec 2017 12:00:00 +0000 Aron Lund https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2017/12/27/a-timeline-of-the-tightening-siege-in-eastern-ghouta https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2017/12/27/a-timeline-of-the-tightening-siege-in-eastern-ghouta Despite the de-escalation deal, a ban on humanitarian aid in Eastern Ghouta, where 94 percent of besieged civilians in Syria reside, has created a man-made disaster, writes Syria expert Aron Lund. Displacement Mon, 04 Dec 2017 10:58:49 +0000 Sima Ghaddar, Lily Hindy https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/12/04/a-nation-in-pieces-views-from-syrians-in-exile https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/12/04/a-nation-in-pieces-views-from-syrians-in-exile Syrians living in Lebanon, Europe and the U.S. reveal a common conviction that national unity and a common sense of identity are necessary to rebuild the country, but most say that both seem distant in a country divided along ethnic-sectarian lines. Displacement War Economy Thu, 09 Nov 2017 12:40:48 +0000 Anchal Vohra https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2017/11/09/back-home-in-homs-challenges-facing-returnees-to-syria https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2017/11/09/back-home-in-homs-challenges-facing-returnees-to-syria For many Syrians displaced from Homs over six years of war, going home means facing a gap in public services, the absence of social and economic support systems and security risks. Many who have returned have found debris where their houses once stood. Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs Displacement War Economy Fri, 29 Sep 2017 13:00:09 +0000 Hashem Osseiran, Alessandria Masi, Kim Bode https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/09/29/expert-views-is-jordan-headed-toward-detente-with-damascus https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/09/29/expert-views-is-jordan-headed-toward-detente-with-damascus Syria Deeply’s expert community weighs in on a possible rapprochement between Amman and Damascus and the drive in some quarters for improved relations between the two states. Displacement ISIS Wed, 20 Sep 2017 11:25:42 +0000 Wladimir van Wilgenburg https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2017/09/20/inside-ain-al-issa-hunting-for-isis-in-the-north-raqqa-idp-camp https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2017/09/20/inside-ain-al-issa-hunting-for-isis-in-the-north-raqqa-idp-camp In the second of a two-part series, we report on Kurdish-led forces’ rigorous security screening procedures at the Ain al-Issa IDP camp that aim to weed out potential ISIS fighters from the thousands of civilians fleeing militant-held territory every day. Displacement ISIS Fri, 01 Sep 2017 11:33:25 +0000 Wladimir van Wilgenburg https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2017/09/01/inside-ain-al-issa-waiting-room-for-displaced-in-battle-against-isis https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2017/09/01/inside-ain-al-issa-waiting-room-for-displaced-in-battle-against-isis Thousands of internally displaced Syrians arrived in Ain al-Issa camp nearly 11 months ago, when the Syrian Democratic Forces began its anti-ISIS campaign. In the first of a two-part series, we report on the struggles of those who live in the camp in Raqqa province. Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs Displacement Thu, 31 Aug 2017 06:43:27 +0000 Tomás Pfeffer, Kim Bode https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/08/31/seven-experts-to-watch-on-de-escalation-zones-in-syria https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/08/31/seven-experts-to-watch-on-de-escalation-zones-in-syria As part of our ‘Experts to Watch’ series, we highlight seven experts monitoring the proposals for safe zones in Syria and the foreign powers pushing for their creation. Displacement Solutions War Economy Mon, 14 Aug 2017 08:10:00 +0000 Kim Bode https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/08/14/syrian-businessmen-around-world-aim-to-get-syrians-to-help-syrians https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/08/14/syrian-businessmen-around-world-aim-to-get-syrians-to-help-syrians The chairman of the newly established Syrian International Business Association, Samer Chamsi-Pasha, says the Syrian diaspora needs to mobilize to help countries hosting Syrian refugees. Displacement Human Rights Fri, 11 Aug 2017 08:49:29 +0000 Jeff Crisp https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/08/11/why-its-far-too-early-to-talk-of-return-for-syrian-refugees https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/08/11/why-its-far-too-early-to-talk-of-return-for-syrian-refugees While several states might want a quick solution to the plight of Syrian refugees, returns are not a realistic option until the conflict comes to an end, writes Chatham House Associate Fellow Jeff Crisp. Displacement Fri, 11 Aug 2017 05:01:06 +0000 Sunil John https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/08/11/we-must-ask-refugees-what-they-feel-about-returning-to-syria-2 https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/08/11/we-must-ask-refugees-what-they-feel-about-returning-to-syria-2 The founder of the consultancy behind the annual Arab Youth Survey explains why they did their first-ever poll of Syrian refugees and what the young refugees surveyed in Lebanon and Jordan said about the conflict and their attitudes toward going home. Displacement Government & Pro-Government Forces ISIS Opposition Groups & Rebel Forces Fri, 21 Jul 2017 11:56:09 +0000 Kareem Chehayeb https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2017/07/21/analysis-what-a-battle-on-the-lebanese-border-could-mean-for-syria https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2017/07/21/analysis-what-a-battle-on-the-lebanese-border-could-mean-for-syria A battle on the outskirts of a Lebanese border town will have significant implications on the Syrian refugee population in Lebanon and may boost Hezbollah’s capabilities in Syria as it moves to secure a section of the Lebanese frontier, writes Kareem Chehayeb. Displacement Opposition Groups & Rebel Forces Fri, 21 Jul 2017 11:15:38 +0000 Hashem Osseiran https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2017/07/21/i-just-had-to-go-back-syrian-repatriates-speak-of-return https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2017/07/21/i-just-had-to-go-back-syrian-repatriates-speak-of-return Some 31,000 Syrians have returned to the war-torn country from abroad this year and many are struggling to survive in a country they call home. Displacement War Economy Thu, 29 Jun 2017 13:24:53 +0000 Rami Zayat, Shawn Carrié https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2017/06/29/the-maddening-maze-of-getting-a-syrian-passport-abroad https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2017/06/29/the-maddening-maze-of-getting-a-syrian-passport-abroad A Syrian passport once cost $9 and took only a few hours to issue. As the Syrian conflict enters its seventh year, Syrians in Turkey are paying up to $2,000 and waiting for months to get one of the world’s weakest passports. Displacement Human Rights Wed, 21 Jun 2017 08:02:38 +0000 Karim El Mufti, Rim El Gantri https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/06/21/we-must-start-the-conversation-about-return-of-syrian-refugees-now-2 https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/06/21/we-must-start-the-conversation-about-return-of-syrian-refugees-now-2 If millions of displaced Syrians are to go home one day, we need to understand refugees’ conditions for returning, attitudes to justice and the possibility of coexistence, say the authors of an International Center for Transitional Justice study of refugees in Lebanon. Civil Society Displacement Tue, 20 Jun 2017 14:19:08 +0000 Lev Plaves, John Kluge https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/06/20/crowdfunding-a-stable-financial-future-for-refugees-and-hosts https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/06/20/crowdfunding-a-stable-financial-future-for-refugees-and-hosts On World Refugee Day, the Alight Fund’s John Kluge and Lev Plaves of the microfinance NGO Kiva explain the limitations facing Syrian refugees regaining their financial footing, and the launch of World Refugee Fund, an initiative crowdfunding loans for refugees. Displacement Human Rights Fri, 09 Jun 2017 11:23:40 +0000 Anna Magdalena Rüsch, Geoff Gilbert https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/06/09/safe-zones-must-offer-protection-not-solely-prevent-search-for-asylum https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/community/2017/06/09/safe-zones-must-offer-protection-not-solely-prevent-search-for-asylum In today’s conflicts, safe zones cannot realistically provide the security guaranteed to civilians under international law and should not be proposed as a substitute for asylum in another country, according to the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law.