10 August 2023; MEMO: Syrian President, Bashar Al Assad, has said he would welcome home refugees who escaped the country's long-running civil war, Sky News Arabia reports.
According to the report, Assad blamed the country's economic situation as the reason why refugees are not returning to their homeland, pointing to the "image of war" in Syria for the lack of much-needed international investment in its economy.
"Over the last few years, we've seen just under half a million people return and none of them were harmed," he said.
"What's stopped more from coming back is the economic situation.
"How can a refugee return without electricity or school for his children or medical treatment? These are life's essentials.
But human rights groups and international organisations, including the United Nations, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have said it is unsafe for refugees to return to Syria.
Those who have returned faced "grave human rights abuses and persecution at the hands of the Syria government and affiliated militias", Human Rights Watch said, the report added.
