Damascus, Syria – When the al-Assad regime fell in December 2024, Yasseen Tasabehji and his family did not initially plan to return to Syria.
Tasabehji, now 33, and his four siblings and parents had moved to Mississauga, a Toronto suburb, in 2010, a year before the Syrian uprising began. They built what Tasabehji describes as a “quite good” life and did not anticipate returning.
During the war years, his mother visited family once, but the rest of the family remained abroad.
“The Syrian file was effectively closed for all of us,” Tasabehji told Al Jazeera. “We felt we would never go back.”
Then, in late 2024, a rebel operation captured Aleppo from the al-Assad regime and quickly advanced to Hama and Homs. Within days, the al-Assad family fled to Moscow and the opposition celebrated the liberation of Damascus.
For Tasabehji and his relatives, a “Pandora’s box opened,” he said. “At that moment we were asking, ‘What’s next? What do we want to do?’ We were seeking purpose and fulfillment.”
He explained that all siblings held stable jobs and maintained friendships and family ties, yet they felt a strong calling. “We sensed this might be our chance to contribute something here.”
The family visited in April 2025 with the intention of possibly opening a climbing gym; two siblings are avid climbers. After a month‑long stay in Damascus, they returned to Canada and decided to relocate permanently in July.
“We observed a country in need of everything, and we realized any contribution could make a huge difference,” Tasabehji told Al Jazeera, seated inside the family’s climbing gym in Damascus’s Mezzeh neighbourhood, where they had pursued the venture. The family is already giving back by running programmes that help young Syrians build self‑esteem and foster community.
As he spoke, his sister taught a class of young children, and their father — who remains based in Canada with their mother but is now considering a permanent move — sat against a climbing wall.
“We saw how young people have no options, no healthy communities, no recreational activities, and no places to gather and feel good. Everyone wanted to leave,” he said. “Our goal became making Syria more attractive to young people, so they can envision a future here.”
Returning home
Tasabehji and his siblings are among the 1.5 million Syrians who have returned since former President Bashar al‑Assad fled Damascus.
Many were refugees in Turkey or Lebanon, while others worked in Europe or the Gulf and chose to go back. Despite economic hardship and rising energy costs, many returnees feel optimistic about rebuilding homes and lives.
Reintegration remains challenging. The World Bank estimates reconstruction costs at $216 billion, and Syria’s new government, led by President Ahmed al‑Sharaa, is working to lift sanctions that hinder economic recovery.
Not all returnees plan to settle permanently. Tariq Azeez of the International Rescue Committee noted that about 400,000 Syrians have returned from Lebanon due to Israel’s conflict, and some may return to Lebanon if conditions improve.
Financial difficulties are common; many returnees struggle to rebuild and may consider emigrating again if opportunities arise.
Conditions remain difficult, with 15.6 million Syrians — two‑thirds of the population — requiring humanitarian assistance.
Potential problems
Returning also brings social challenges. Millions have lived abroad in neighbouring countries, Europe, North America, or the Gulf, while others were internally displaced.
As Syria rebuilds infrastructure and society, returnees bring diverse experiences and norms, which can strain community cohesion.
“Civilians are learning to live with each other again,” Azeez said, warning that differing norms or politics could create tension. “It could be an accident waiting to happen.”
Beyond violence, disparities in access to services risk eroding trust between communities.
Institutionally, Syria still lacks capacity. Promised investments from regional and international partners have been slow, and large‑scale returns must be gradual and sequenced to avoid overwhelming the country’s rebuilding capacity.
Back at the climbing gym, Tasabehji noted persistent sectarian divides. While the family’s gym aims to create a welcoming space for all identities, it cannot solve broader societal rifts.
“We’re trying to introduce people to each other so they can coexist and build the future of this country,” Tasabehji said.
