Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks at the 15th Ambassadors Conference in Ankara, Türkiye, on Dec. 9, 2024. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)
ANKARA/ISTANBUL, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye will make efforts for the safe return of the Syrian refugees residing in the country back home, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Monday.
"We will do everything in our power to ensure their safe and dignified return," Fidan said when addressing the 15th Ambassadors Conference in the capital Ankara.
The foreign minister added that Türkiye is ready to support and coordinate efforts with all stakeholders to secure Syria's territorial integrity and stability.
Also on Monday, Istanbul-based Hurriyet Daily News reported that Syrian refugees eager to return home formed a long line at Türkiye's border gate with Syria in the Reyhanli district of southeastern Türkiye's Hatay province to complete customs procedures.
To prevent congestion at the border gate, gendarmerie teams set up an additional checkpoint about 5 km from the border, the report said.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 3.5 million Syrians have come to Türkiye. ■
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (at the podium) speaks at the 15th Ambassadors Conference in Ankara, Türkiye, on Dec. 9, 2024. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)
