The first Dutch government flight returns 84 Syrians to Damascus
A chartered plane carrying 84 Syrians landed in Damascus from Rotterdam-The Hague, marking the first time the Dutch government has used a special flight to repatriate Syrian citizens. The Ministry of Asylum and Migration confirmed that all passengers chose to return voluntarily, although most had been living in the Netherlands as refugees or were still in the asylum process. Before boarding the plane, they had to formally withdraw their asylum applications.
Earlier this year, the Dutch government launched a voluntary return program that includes financial support to encourage Syrians to return. Adults received €2,800 and children received €1,650 to help them resettle in Syria. This program came after the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, which the government saw as leading to improved security conditions allowing for the return of refugees.
Since that political shift, more than 700 Syrians have voluntarily left the Netherlands, according to figures from the Return and Departure Office (DTV). About 150,000 Syrians still live in the country.
The media was invited to follow this first government trip. NOS spoke with a 12-year-old boy who was wearing the Syrian flag on his shoulders, who said he had never seen Syria before because his family left a few months after he was born. He explained that he was excited and nervous at the same time about starting school there, but he confirmed that he would miss his friends and teachers in the Netherlands.
Another traveler, 21 years old, said he is returning to Aleppo to meet his wife and two children after a two-year separation. He explained that the long wait with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) to complete family reunification prompted him to make the decision to return, even though his mother and brother are still in the Netherlands.
DTV director Simone Steindijk told ANP that the fall of the Assad regime has improved the security situation for many Syrians, encouraging voluntary return. She added that others chose to leave because they miss their families, face difficulties integrating, or live in uncertainty about their future in the Netherlands. She confirmed that financial support is intended to help them build a new life. She also noted that this is the first time a government plane has been used for voluntary return operations, which may open the door to expanding the program if needed.