'I miss Syria', said a Syrian refugee

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Two more Syrian families living in Turkey have been successfully repatriated back to their homes in northern Syria's Aleppo province.

The Esenyurt Municipality in Istanbul, along with Turkey’s disaster and Emergency Management or AFAD and other NGOs, has been facilitating the return of dozens of families, helping process the required paperwork, providing the transportation and supplying donations to help them restart their lives back in Syria.

According to the mayor of Esenyurt, Ali Murat Alatepe, there are over 140,000 Syrians living in the municipality, comprising the largest community of Syrians in Istanbul.

“There are 100 families ready to go back,” he says, “but we are not sending them immediately. When the Turkish Red Crescent is ready to accompany them in Jserablus, Afrin, Halep, they will let us know and then we can send the families back safely.”

Yehya and his sons reunited with family, old and new, in Syria he has not seen in over three years. /CGTN Photo

Last month, 35 families were repatriated with the help of the Esenyurt municipality.

These returns have been made possible by Turkish military operations in northern Syria, which have managed to clear an area of 4,000 square kilometers of terrorist groups.

At his Istanbul home for the last three years, 33-year-old Yehya Omar Shughour said he was happy to be returning, but had mixed emotions overall.

“On one side I am happy,” he says. “I am going back to my country, to my home, to my family. On the other hand, I lived in Turkey and met with many nice people, good people, I worked with. I had good neighbors. That is why I am sad.”

CGTN joined Yehya and his two young boys, Mohammed and Omar, and another Syrian family of 6 for the 15-plus-hour bus journey through Turkey back to their homes in Syria.

Yehya and his sons reunited with the family, old and new, in Syria that they had not seen in over three years. /CGTN Photo

11-year-old Mohammed took pictures of the Turkish landscape throughout the trip from Istanbul to the border town of Kilis.

“I miss Syria,” he shares. “I miss my people. I miss my friends. I miss my grandpa’s house. I will go say “hi” to my uncles and kiss their hands.”

On the bus somewhere past the Turkish capital Ankara, 40-year-old Mohammed Amine also shared a longing for his home back in Syria.

“I want to go back to Syria because my family is there. My father is very ill. Every time I call they ask when we're coming and I keep saying in the next few days next months.”

Mohammed and Yehya on the bus to the Syrian border, excited to be returning home. /CGTN Photo

During the three years they lived in Turkey, Yehya’s house in Aleppo province, which he spent his life savings on renovating, was completely destroyed. Mohammed doesn’t know what’s come of his house in Aleppo city.

When we finally reach the Öncüpınar border crossing, the bus erupts into songs about Syria.

A one kilometer stretch of no man's land separates the Turkish and Syrian borders and two very different worlds.

The destruction and economic hardships from seven years of war are impossible to ignore.

Turkish border guard checks paperwork before allowing us to cross border into Syria. /CGTN Photo

In the town of Azaz, we learn that there are no buses to Aleppo until the morning, so the Amine family will be the guests of Yehya’s cousin who lives in the area.

At the house, a large group is waiting for Yehya and his boys. They rush over and give everyone lengthy hugs and the traditional three kisses.

“My feelings are of indescribable happiness,” Yehya shares with us.

He enthusiastically welcomes us all inside with true Arabic hospitality.

Surrounded by all his nephews and nieces, Yehya shares with us his plans now he's back in Syria.

Yehya’s son, Mohammed and Omer on the bus to the Syrian border, excited to be returning home. /CGTN Photo

“I will stay here with them for a while and start working in construction, to do something for myself and my country. When I have enough money I will rent a house with my children. I eventually plan to open a shop that sells electrical materials.”

He continues, “I came back to my people and I wish to die here rather than in another country.”

The Amine family too is also very happy to be back in their homeland and will see what life has in store for them once they return to war-ravaged Aleppo city in the morning.

With 3.5 million, Turkey is home to the largest refugee population outside of Syria.

Syrian Children heading home show off new toys given to them by AFAD. /CGTN Photo

According to AFAD, in the past 20 months, some 150,000 people have returned to Syria through either the Öncüpınar crossing in Kilis province or Cilvegözü gates in Hatay province.

Turkey is also preparing to open a new border crossing in the coming months that will enable direct access to the Afrin district in northwest Syria.