More than 15,000 registered Syrian refugees returned from Jordan to Syria in May 2025, according to the UNHCR, bringing the total number of returnees from Jordan since December 8, 2024, to approximately 75,500.
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The agency noted that the number of returns in May marked a 45% increase compared to April 2025, when 10,500 refugees returned. This spike is primarily attributed to the end of the academic year.
Before departing, the UNHCR conducted individual interviews to ensure the decision to return was voluntary and informed, and offered guidance on available services in Syria. The transfers were coordinated with UNHCR offices in Syria.
In May, the UNHCR facilitated the return of 1,000 refugees from camps and host communities—more than double the 400 assisted in April. The agency anticipates up to 200,000 refugee returns this year, citing a January 2025 regional survey in which 40% of Syrian respondents expressed a desire to return within the next 12 months, compared to just 1.8% in Jordan's October 2024 survey.
However, 60% of respondents remained undecided or unwilling to return within the year, citing concerns over safety, housing, essential services, and livelihood opportunities—factors that highlight the need for continued support both within host countries and for those opting to return.
The UNHCR reported it had received $86 million in funding by the end of May—just 23.7% of the $372.8 million needed—raising fears of deeper aid cuts. For example, cash assistance in the Zaatari and Azraq camps may shrink from 22,800 families to just 14,000 in the next quarter due to funding shortages.
The agency also announced plans to drastically reduce community support programs in Jordan as part of cost-saving measures, prioritizing critical services like registration, protection, basic needs assistance, and life-saving health interventions.
It warned that reduced humanitarian assistance is already affecting refugee well-being, pushing many toward harmful coping strategies to survive.
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