by Burak Akinci
ANKARA, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- After eight years in Türkiye, 35-year-old Syrian lawyer Hasan Alissa is preparing to return to his hometown of Aleppo in the coming weeks, joining a growing wave of Syrians making the journey home to help rebuild their war-torn country.
Since late last year, following the downfall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, over half a million Syrians have returned from Türkiye to their homeland, according to recent Turkish official figures.
"I am returning because my country needs me and the experiences that I have gained in Türkiye for its future," Alissa told Xinhua.
Alissa completed his law degree in Syria and fled to Türkiye amid the country's civil war. In Gaziantep, southeastern Türkiye, he worked for an international relief agency specializing in child protection and refugee law.
Now, he hopes to apply his expertise to help his country recover from more than a decade of conflict.
"Syria has lost a precious generation to the civil war," he said. "Now it's time to rebuild despite many challenges on the ground. We have to make this happen."
Türkiye has hosted over 3 million Syrians at the height of the Syrian crisis, making it home to one of the world's largest refugee communities.
Over the years, many Syrians have integrated into local communities, learned new professions, and acquired language and technical skills.
While seasoned professionals like Alissa bring their knowledge and expertise, younger Syrians are returning with practical skills they gained abroad.
Twenty-five-year-old Ahmed Khaled, who has lived since 2015 in Gaziantep, is preparing to return to Damascus later this month.
Working as an air-conditioning technician over the past five years, he has mastered technical skills that he believes will be useful in his homeland.
"When I first arrived in Türkiye, I didn't know anything about this profession," Khaled recalled. "But I learned step by step, and now I can install, repair, and maintain systems on my own. I want to use these skills in my country," he said.
Khaled said some of his friends had already returned to Syria, and he wants to be part of the reconstruction phase. "We've spent years abroad. It's time to go back and help create better living conditions there."
While they are full of anticipation about returning home, the returnees acknowledge that Syria still faces enormous challenges ahead. Years of war have left infrastructure severely damaged, and economic difficulties persist. Yet for many, the decision to go back is rooted in a sense of responsibility.
"Rebuilding Syria will not be easy. But it is our country. If we don't go back, who will build it?" Khaled said.
