Between the town of Yayladağı in Turkey’s Hatay Province and the town of Kassab in the countryside of Latakia, Syria lies the only border crossing connecting Turkey to regime-controlled Syria.
The Turkish side of the Kassab crossing closed the crossing at the start of the Syrian revolution in 2011, but it reopened in 2020 with the launch of a voluntary return program for Syrian refugees in Turkey. This program allows those wishing to return to cross into regime-controlled areas. Over the past year, the crossing has seen increasing demand and daily returns of families. It is a one-way crossing, only open to those wishing to return permanently to Syria; no other travelers are permitted to use it.
Several conditions must be met for those wishing to return voluntarily through the Kassab crossing, according to a worker on the Turkish side who preferred to remain anonymous. The most important requirement is that the exit must be part of what is known as a “voluntary return”, regardless of whether or not the individual holds a temporary protection card. The procedures on the Turkish side are straightforward: completing the “voluntary return” form, taking fingerprints, and photographing the individuals, after which they are allowed to proceed to the Syrian side. The earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey on February 6 contributed to an increase in the number of returnees, leading to the establishment of a division to manage migration at the crossing to expedite the process.
On the Syrian Side
Abu Saeed had lived in Istanbul for years, but recently returned with his family to Aleppo. He decided to go back because of the increased security pressures in Turkey, especially since his temporary protection card was issued by the state of Bursa. Fearing deportation to Idlib, he chose to return via the Kassab crossing, as it is closer to Aleppo, where he owns a house.
Abu Saeed believes the security situation in Syria has improved and that living in Turkey has become difficult under the current circumstances. He shared with Aljumhuriya.net the procedures on the Syrian side.
“After crossing the Turkish side and entering the immigration office on the Syrian side,” he says, “they start by investigating why people left for Turkey, the route they took – whether it was regular or via smuggling – and asking about family members, parents, and children, and their locations in Turkey during their stay.” Abu Saeed adds that there are additional questions based on each individual case, and nobody wanted by the regime can cross, as “they are arrested immediately at the investigation point.” After the initial investigation, immigration officials charge $100 for each person over the age of eighteen, exchanging it into Syrian pounds at the Central Bank rate –to “support the Syrian economy,” according to officials at the crossing.
The second stage involves visiting the office affiliated with the Political Security Directorate, where some details are verified, according to Abu Saeed. He noted that most returnees take precautions by contacting Syrian officials in the security branches to confirm whether they are wanted or have security issues before entering the country. Those who have evaded military service must pay a service allowance, which reduces the chance of arrest, although additional reasons for arrest can arise based on the answers people give during the investigation.
The final stage is at customs, where returnees and their luggage are thoroughly searched. Returnees are allowed to bring all their personal items, such as clothes, household appliances, and small portable electronics.
Terms of Return
According to sources at the Turkish side of the crossing, there are several additional conditions for those wishing to enter through Kassab. One of the most important is that children born in Turkey must have either a birth certificate issued by the Turkish Civil Registry or a temporary protection card. People with valid residency in Turkey are prohibited from crossing, and naturalized Syrians with Turkish nationality are not allowed to enter from the Turkish side. However, they can return to Turkey through the crossing if they enter Syria via Lebanon. Holders of other nationalities are strictly prohibited from both entering and exiting through this crossing.
Additionally, if a mother wants to return with her children under the age of eighteen without the father, she needs his approval, which must be translated and notarized by the Turkish authorities. The same rule applies if the father wants to return without the mother. Children are not allowed to cross without an accompanying adult.
The crossing operates daily from 9am to 5pm, including Saturdays and Sundays. However, return on Saturdays and Sundays is off limits to those who are not registered in Turkey, do not have an asylum fingerprint, or do not possess a temporary protection card. They must return on weekdays due to the need for additional procedures.
Regime Exploitation of Returnees
The biggest problem faced by refugees returning from Turkey to regime-controlled areas via the Kassab crossing is exploitation by regime thugs (the infamous shabiha), who use various methods of blackmail and threats of arrest. This occurs despite thorough security checks and investigations at the crossing, where individuals wanted by the regime’s security agencies are arrested immediately. After leaving the crossing and walking several kilometers, returnees are stopped at security checkpoints where their papers are checked, they are searched, and charges are imposed before they are allowed to proceed. There are three consecutive checkpoints immediately after the Kassab crossing, each operated by a different group of Shabiha, most of whom belong to the National Defense. Each checkpoint charges a fee for each person wanting to cross, which is a known issue that travelers prepare for before starting their journey.
Huda, a sixty-year-old woman who decided to return to her hometown of Homs with her daughter after the earthquake in Turkey and the loss of her husband, explained that anyone arriving needs someone waiting for them on the Syrian side to receive them, and this person must be an immediate relative, such as a father, son, or brother. Without this support, returnees are vulnerable to exploitation by the shabiha. The Immigration Office inquires about the person receiving them, while drivers cooperating with the checkpoints and shabiha take advantage of the absence of an immediate relative. These drivers, who are armed, prevent people from requesting or waiting for a relative and urge them to leave quickly, claiming that waiting is forbidden “by orders from above.” People comply out of fear of the shabiha, and this is when the intimidation begins.
Those left alone are asked for large sums of money for transportation to the city. The shabiha collect people and transport them on buses, even though they charge each person the price of a private taxi. Everyone complies and pays the demanded money out of fear. “These shabiha are affiliated with the National Defense, and they consider all those returning from Turkey as traitors to the homeland, who must be punished and exploited as much as possible,” says Huda. She recalls the names of some shabiha members, such as Abu Watan, Abu Samir, and Abu Jarrah. She adds that they use various excuses to extort money, including claiming that the returnee is wanted and will be arrested unless they pay a certain amount, allegedly for “those above”, in order to avoid arrest. This continues until they extract as much money as possible.
Traffic at the Kassab crossing
The Kassab crossing is seeing increased traffic from families returning to Syria. According to sources at the crossing, the start of the week is the busiest, particularly on Mondays and Tuesdays, with approximately one hundred people crossing per day. The number decreases as the week progresses. Most of those returning are headed to the city of Aleppo.
The crossing is currently experiencing increased traffic and a steady flow of returnees, especially following racist incidents in the Turkish city of Kayseri in the first week of July.
Several factors are prompting refugees to leave Turkey. Many returnees explained that the main reasons include the restrictions imposed on refugees and frequently changing regulations, especially those related to residing in the area where their temporary protection card was issued. Additionally, deportation campaigns target those who do not have official papers, creating fear of being forcibly returned to Idlib, even though they come from or own homes in other cities and lack connections in Idlib. This fear drives them to return to their own cities and homes.
The increasing cost of living in Turkey, the economic downturn, and rising rent prices have exceeded families’ financial capacities. Even with long working hours, many individuals find it difficult to meet their household needs. Some families are returning because the husband plans to travel to Europe, while the wife and children return to Syria to stay with relatives as they await reunification through European embassies in Lebanon, Egypt, or Jordan.
Racism also plays a significant role in their decision to leave, as well as sudden imposition of deportation codes or charges against refugees. These pressures lead some to surrender their temporary protection cards to avoid being deported to Idlib or imprisoned. Dozens of women are returning with their children due to divorce, choosing to return to their families rather than stay alone in Turkey, especially given the high cost of living.
Groups for exchanging information
Online groups and chatrooms dedicated to the Kassab crossing have emerged on social media. These platforms allow those wishing to return to Syria to exchange information and ask questions about costs, conditions, working hours, and more. Participants with relevant knowledge or experience provide answers, facilitating the crossing process and encouraging refugees to return. One participant told Aljumhuriya.net that knowing how to cross safely and having sufficient information about the route and procedures can motivate refugees to expedite their plans to return. These groups also discuss various obstacles and propose solutions based on each individual’s experience.
The participant further explained that many people have faced detention for various reasons, and accounts of these experiences are shared in these online groups. This information can deter others in similar situations from attempting to return. Additionally, these groups help determine the fate of those who have gone missing at the crossing or lost communication during their return. A frequently asked question is about the amount of money and gold a person is allowed to carry, as this could endanger the returnee due to the greed of the shabiha. To address these issues, recommendations, potential solutions, and shared experiences are compiled, helping refugees become well-informed and aware of the necessary precautions to ensure their safety. Most of these groups and chatrooms are private to protect participants’ safety and privacy, especially for those who have successfully returned to Syria.
Turkish media quoted Turkish officials as saying that the number of Syrian refugees who have returned to Syria voluntarily so far has reached 554,609, and this number includes those returning from the Kassab border crossing, but the largest number belongs to those who were forcibly deported to northern Syria after they were forced to sign voluntary return papers.
