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Millions of Syrian refugees could soon go home. They are waiting to see what happens in Syria following the fall of the country's former president Bashar al-Assad. He ruled Syria with an iron fist for 24 years. After rebels took control of parts of Syria on the 6th of December, thousands of refugees in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt started returning to their hometowns. The United Nations believes there are close to 5 million refugees in countries that border Syria. Of these, two million are school-aged children. An additional 1.3 million refugees are living in other countries, mostly in Europe. Turkey's president said: "As Syria gains more stability, God willing, voluntary, safe…returns will increase."
Many of the returning refugees have spoken to journalists. Muhammed Zin, 28, told the Associated Press news agency: "Assad was shooting us, killing us. I will return to Syria now. Thank God, the war is over." He fled the capital Damascus in 2016, five years after Syria's civil war broke out in 2011. Another returnee, Malak Matar, told reporters: "This is a feeling we've been waiting 14 years for. We feel psychologically free, we can express ourselves. The country is free, and the barriers have been broken down." He was hopeful for the future. He added: "Syrians have to create a country that is well organized and takes care of its people. It's a new phase."
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