Damascus, MINA – The Syrian government announced on Saturday the closure of the Rukban refugee camp, marking the end of a prolonged humanitarian crisis caused by 13 years of civil war.
“The closure of the Rukban camp signals the end of one of the worst humanitarian tragedies experienced by our displaced citizens,” said Raed al-Saleh, Syria’s Minister of Emergency Response and Disaster Management, in a statement quoted by Anadolu Agency.
“We hope this step will begin a broader process to end the suffering in other camps and ensure the dignified and safe return of people to their homes,” he added in a post on X, accompanied by images showing the camp now completely empty of Syrian refugees.
The closure comes just months after the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024. Since then, families who had sought shelter in the camp have begun returning to their towns and villages across Syria.
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The Rukban camp was an informal and unregulated settlement located in a demilitarized zone along the northeastern border between Syria and Jordan. It once housed thousands of displaced Syrians awaiting permission to cross into Jordan.
However, following a 2016 suicide bombing at the Jordanian border that killed seven soldiers and wounded 15 others, Jordan closed its northern border and halted the intake of refugees, effectively cutting off humanitarian access to the camp.
Bashar al-Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in December, ending the decades-long rule of the Baath Party, which had held power since 1963.
Ahmed al-Sharaa, the opposition commander who led forces in overthrowing Assad, was appointed as interim president in January.[]
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