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Syria Data Observatory A Sanad Data initiative

Displacement and return observatory

Human Movement

Pages for understanding refugees, returns, internal displacement, and population change through connected indicators, sources, and methodology.

Pages for understanding refugees, returns, internal displacement, and population change through connected indicators, sources, and methodology.

Refugees from Syria worldwide

2025

4.9 million

people

Change from previous period -1.1 million people (-18.3%) vs 2024

Up to date · Updates annually

Returned refugees from Syria worldwide

2025

1.3 million

people

Change from previous period +828.4 thousand people (+161.6%) vs 2024

Up to date · Updates annually

Internally displaced persons from Syria worldwide

2025

5.5 million

people

Change from previous period -1.9 million people (-25.2%) vs 2024

Up to date · Updates annually

Internally displaced persons (DTM estimate)

2026-04

5.9 million

people

These are field estimates from IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) baseline rounds, activated in Syria from February 2025 after the December 2024 shift — not a registration of individuals. They count internally displaced persons and returnees per governorate per round, and figures are revised round to round. They differ methodologically from UNHCR registration counts, so the two should not be summed or directly compared.

Change from previous period -2,424.0 people (0.0%) vs 2026-03

Up to date
IOM DTM Open indicator

IDP returnees (DTM estimate)

2026-04

2.1 million

people

These are field estimates from IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) baseline rounds, activated in Syria from February 2025 after the December 2024 shift — not a registration of individuals. They count internally displaced persons and returnees per governorate per round, and figures are revised round to round. They differ methodologically from UNHCR registration counts, so the two should not be summed or directly compared.

Change from previous period +39.8 thousand people (+2.0%) vs 2026-03

Up to date
IOM DTM Open indicator

Two faces of displacement: abroad and at home

For most of the conflict more Syrians were displaced inside the country than had fled abroad; both counts fall in 2025 as some people return. They are distinct populations, not one summed total.

UNHCR · Retrieved 2026-08-10 How Sanad knows

Refuge and return over time

After more than a decade of displacement, UNHCR data since 2024 records a clear acceleration in returns — both trends shown from the same source.

UNHCR · Retrieved 2026-08-10 How Sanad knows

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