A UN refugee agency official said on Tuesday that some 1 million Syrian refugees are expected to return to the country in the first six months of 2025, asking countries to refrain from forced returns.

"Now we have forecasted that we hope to see somewhere in the order of 1 million Syrians returning between January and June next year so we shared this plan with donors, asking for their support," said Rema Jamous Imseis, UNHCR Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

She said that thousands of people had fled Syria this month as opposition fighters seized power from President Bashar al-Assad, while thousands had also returned to the country mostly from Türkiye, Lebanon and Jordan.