Tears streamed down Ahmed al-Kassem\u2019s face as he embraced his sister for the first time in over a decade. His return to Syria from Turkey, after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, was filled with both joy and uncertainty.<\/p>\n
The 38-year-old former refugee brought his wife and five children back to Aleppo, a city still scarred by years of war. But the reality awaiting them was harsh: his old house was too damaged to live in, and his sister\u2019s home had no electricity or running water.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I had known, I don\u2019t know if I would have come,<\/strong>\u201d al-Kassem told Amnewsworld. \u201cOur life in Turkey was not perfect, but what we are seeing here is a disaster.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n Al-Kassem is among over 7,600 Syrian refugees who, according to Turkish officials, have crossed back into Syria since December 9, when insurgents swept Assad from power. Many more have returned from Lebanon, hopeful about rebuilding their lives in a newly liberated Syria.<\/p>\n For al-Kassem\u2019s family, leaving Turkey meant abandoning the life they had built over 11 years. Four of his children were born in Turkey and only knew Syria through video chats. Returning offered them a chance to reconnect with their heritage and relatives.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I saw my country liberated, I returned with my children to introduce them to our homeland,<\/strong>\u201d al-Kassem said. \u201cBut they didn\u2019t expect this situation.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n The family crossed into Syria at the Bab al-Salameh border, transferring their belongings\u2014including a carpet and washing machine into local vehicles before heading to Aleppo\u2019s Masaken Hanano district. By nightfall, they arrived at al-Kassem\u2019s sister\u2019s house, where the family reunited in an emotional moment.<\/p>\n However, the joy was short-lived. The house lacked basic utilities, and the children were sent to a relative\u2019s home with sporadic electricity and water.<\/p>\n \u201cIn Turkey, we had water, electricity, and the internet all life\u2019s essentials,<\/strong>\u201d al-Kassem said. \u201cHere, we\u2019ve been without water for days. I don\u2019t know where I will go with my children.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n Aleppo, once Syria\u2019s largest city and economic hub, remains deeply scarred. Though some residents have started rebuilding, large portions of the city, particularly in the eastern districts, are still in ruins. Streets are crowded with people celebrating Assad\u2019s ousting, but poverty and infrastructure challenges remain.<\/p>\n In Aleppo\u2019s historic Old City, the revolutionary flag now flies above the iconic castle. Families, like that of Huzam Jbara from Idlib, visited the site to celebrate Syria\u2019s new chapter.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are very happy. We got rid of the tyrant who killed and oppressed his people,<\/strong>\u201d Jbara said.<\/p>\n Al-Kassem visited his old home in Masaken Hanano. Its windows were shattered, and all belongings had been looted. Yet, despite the challenges, he remains determined to adapt to life in Aleppo.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is still my homeland, my home, and our people are here,<\/strong>\u201d he said, reflecting on the hardships ahead.<\/p>\n His eldest daughter, 14-year-old Rawiya, shared mixed feelings. Though happy to reunite with relatives, she worries about adjusting to Arabic schooling after years in Turkish schools.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will be difficult for me to start learning Arabic from zero,<\/strong>\u201d Rawiya said. \u201cDespite this, I\u2019m happy to be in Syria.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n For al-Kassem and thousands like him, returning to Syria is a leap into the unknown. As they navigate life in a country rebuilding itself, the challenges ahead will test their resilience.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tears streamed down Ahmed al-Kassem\u2019s face as he embraced his sister for the first time in over a decade. His return to Syria from Turkey, after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, was filled with both joy and uncertainty. The 38-year-old former refugee brought his wife and five children back to Aleppo, a city still<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":9860,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"yes","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_3558452337540614_100649324928663":"","twitter_1160854738579181570_1160854738579181570":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,54],"tags":[402,285,266],"class_list":["post-9859","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-middle-east","category-social","tag-aleppo","tag-amnewsworld","tag-reporters"],"yoast_head":"\n<\/h3>\n
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