Posts in Turkey

Preliminary Reflections on Post-Assad Syria: Emerging Dynamics and the Complex Reality of Refugee Returns from Türkiye

On December 8, 2024, Syria witnessed a transformative moment when armed rebels, predominantly led by ’Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), gained control of Damascus, leading to President Bashar al-Assad’s departure from the country. This development, marking the end of a 14-year civil war, has created a complex mixture of hope and uncertainty among Syrian refugees, including the 2.9 million living under temporary protection in Türkiye. While the political transition suggests possibilities for a return, the reality on the ground reveals a more nuanced situation where security concerns…

TurkeyInside GAPsDecember 23, 2024SRII

Forced Displacement as Refugee Return Amidst Regional War: The Plight of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon

Israel’s recent escalation in Lebanon, including the reported assassination of top Hezbollah leaders such as Hassan Nasrallah, is not just another chapter in the region’s long history of conflict—it is a direct attack on the very fabric of Lebanese sovereignty and a further destabilization of an already fragile region. The assassination signals Israel's ongoing tactic of dismantling political movements that resist its occupation and expansionist policies, disregarding…

Turkey, Palestinian Territories, GazaInside GAPsOctober 7, 2024Ozyegin University

Impact of 2023 Earthquakes on Return Dynamics of Syrian Migrants in Türkiye: Observations from the Field

The devastating earthquakes on February 6, 2023 in Türkiye affected over 15.6 million people across 11 provinces. As part of the humanitarian aid efforts and personally touched by the loss of relatives due to this catastrophe, I visited the affected areas after the earthquake’s immediate aftermath…

TurkeyInside GAPsJune 10, 2024SRII

Destiny Deferred for Afghans in Istanbul

‘I am without destiny.’ These are the words used by a number of Afghan migrants in Istanbul to sum up their lives to me in interviews over the past couple of years. The physical violence that many left behind at home in Afghanistan and the dangers they faced as they were being smuggled into Türkiye have been replaced by a threat less imminent but no less scary: the uncertainty at the root of their fragile existence in their new host country…

TurkeyInside GAPsFebruary 24, 2024Ozyegin University

The Role of Infrastructure Investments in the Return of Syrian Refugees: The Case of Turkish Military Operations in Northern Syria

Türkiye is the largest host and transit country for refugees on the eastern Mediterranean route to Europe. It hosts 3.2 million Syrian refugees and 260,000 non-Syrian refugees, including Afghans, Pakistanis, and Iraqis under International Protection. Initially adopting a welcoming…

TurkeyInside GAPsJanuary 9, 2024SRII

Qualitative methods to understand intersectional refugee perceptions on return through a trajectory approach

Nawal is exactly how I (Susan) remember her, vibrant, energetic, smiling, dressed in a green flowing dress with a white head scarf wrapped in the Turkish style. We are sitting at the Fatih Municipality café, a cavernous grey-brown room with large windows looking onto Adnan Menderes Boulevard. Nawal orders carrot cake along with two hot teas, and we begin chatting…

TurkeyInside GAPsNovember 7, 2023Ozyegin University

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