The collapse of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December paved the way for the return of thousands of Kurds to their homes in Afrin. These Kurds had been displaced to other parts of Syria in 2018, after Turkey-backed militia groups invaded the Kurdish-majority city. With the militants losing their grip on Afrin to Damascus-affiliated forces, many have been able to return.
However, the ongoing economic crisis in Syria, driven by over a decade of unrest and harsh international sanctions on the ousted Assad regime, has left many in Afrin struggling to rebuild their lives.
Hanan Rashid, a 23-year-old blacksmith, was displaced to Kurdish-held northeast Syria (Rojava) in 2018 and returned to Afrin three months ago. He is currently unemployed.
“I came back but ended up jobless. [The situation] is not like before. One cannot live without a job,” he told Rudaw last week.
Ferhad Manan, a florist, was previously displaced to the Kurdistan Region but returned to Afrin two years ago to take care of his sick mother. He told Rudaw that the limited celebration of holidays in the city has severely impacted his business.
“We try to stay in Afrin and not leave as it is considered part of Kurdistan. But when we have no other choice, what can we do? We leave for a place where we can live with dignity. This is what the people of Afrin want. When there's work, there's certainly dignity,” he stressed.
Due to ongoing security concerns, the number of young people returning to Afrin remains low. Most of those who have returned rely on financial support from family members living abroad, particularly in Europe.
There are no official statistics on unemployment in Afrin, and local councils affiliated with militia groups have not permitted local or international organizations to conduct surveys in the area.
In February, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reported that the nearly 15 years of conflict in Syria have devastated the country’s economy, warning that poverty rates have tripled in the country.
Syria’s “Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has shrunk to less than half of its value since the start of the conflict in 2011, and unemployment has tripled. One in four Syrians are now jobless, and the deterioration of public infrastructure has significantly intensified the impact of the conflict,” the report noted.
The UNDP report emphasized that Syria’s recovery will require a clear national vision, comprehensive reforms, and better coordination among institutions. It also stressed that “expanding market access is crucial for Syria's economic recovery.”
Solin Mohammed contributed to this article from Afrin.
