Nearly 30% of Syrian refugees express desire to return home after Assad's ousting

Nearly 30% of Syrian refugees in the Middle East want to return home within a year, a significant increase from almost zero last year. This change follows the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, ending a 13-year civil war. Around 200,000 refugees have already returned since Assad's fall. The new Syrian administration aims to facilitate the return of about 6 million refugees, despite widespread destruction and poverty in the country. The U.N. is providing some aid for transportation and food to returning refugees. The U.N. refugee chief emphasized the need for more support and reconsideration of sanctions to improve conditions for returnees.