Syrian refugees in Turkey on what Assad's fall means to them
(20 Dec 2024) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4541934 RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Gaziantep, Turkey - 11 December 2024 1. Various of Syrian refugee Mahmut Cabuli working at textile shop 2. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Mahmut Cabuli, Syrian refugee: ++OVERLAID WITH SHOT 1++ "I don’t want to go (to Syria) because there’s no work, electricity, or water. There is no leader. Who will it be? I have no idea." 3. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Mahmut Cabuli, Syrian refugee: "I had my children here. I am grateful to have a job here and I am happy. I don’t want to go back. Maybe in a year or two. It’s better if I stay here." ASSOCIATED PRESS Oncupinar border crossing, Kilis, Turkey - 10 December 2024 4. Various of Syrian refugees waiting to return to Syria ASSOCIATED PRESS Ankara, Turkey - 13 December 2024 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Metin Corabatir, Director of Research Centre on Asylum and Migration: ++STARTS ON PREVIOUS SHOT; PARTLY OVERLAID WITH SHOT 6++ "We understand that every day some dozens of people are moving, and we assume that most of them are trying to travel to Syria just to go and see the situation and come back. We have a concern that the return should be possible. We couldn't get any information about (their return from the) migration authorities. We hope those who go to Syria would easily come back and would not lose that temporary protection status." ASSOCIATED PRESS Oncupinar border crossing, Kilis, Turkey - 10 December 2024 6. Various of Syrian refugees waiting to return to Syria ASSOCIATED PRESS Gaziantep, Turkey - 11 December 2024 7. Umit Yilmaz, Mayor of Sehitkamil, a district of Gaziantep province, at his table 8. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Umit Yilmaz, Sehitkamil Mayor: ++STARTS ON PREVIOUS SHOT++ "A spark between Syrians and Turkish citizens can immediately cause a big fire, a big flame. It’s time to stop this." 9. Close Yilmaz's hands 10. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Umit Yilmaz, Sehitkamil Mayor: ++STARTS ON PREVIOUS SHOT; PARTLY OVERLAID WITH SHOT 11++ "The Syrians need to be reunited with their homeland immediately. We are ready to do whatever is necessary if we are given a task. I have come to a point where I am even willing to get in my own car and take them away if necessary." ASSOCIATED PRESS Oncupinar border crossing, Kilis, Turkey - 10 December 2024 11. Various of Syrian refugees waiting to return to Syria STORYLINE: Since the fall of the Assad regime in Damascus earlier in December there have been mixed responses from both Syrian refugees in Turkey and local Turks on what the ouster of Bashar Assad means to them. For Mahmut Cabuli, who fled Syria for Turkey a decade ago, he felt relief and joy at Assad’s downfall. But his happiness was soon overshadowed by widespread calls for the refugees’ return and fear that Turkish officials might now pressure his family to leave their new home. The 31-year-old textile worker from Aleppo has built a new life in the southern city of Gaziantep, near the border with Syria, and says he would face an uncertain future back home. “I don’t want to go because there’s no work, electricity, or water. There is no leader. Who will it be? I have no idea,” Cabuli said. “I don’t want to go back. Maybe in a year or two." Since Assad’s fall, social media in Turkey has been flooded with calls for Syrian repatriation. An increasing number of politicians are also advocating for the refugees’ return, saying they no longer have a reason to stay. Hundreds of Syrians have gathered at Turkey’s 911-kilometer (566 mile) border to return home since the government’s fall. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
