According to TV2, Al-Mu'tasim Al-Suwadi returned to Idlib province in Syria with his wife, Maga Al-Helou, and their four children after living for years in the town of Ry in eastern Jutland. Al-Suwadi showed journalists photos of bodies in the streets, saying that these daily scenes filled them with fear and anxiety. He explained that the man in the photo had been shot dead near a popular restaurant where he was having lunch with his daughter, Miral (5 years old), and his son, Abdul Rahman (13 years old).
Al-Sawadi added that they live in constant fear and spend most of their time in the homes of their relatives to avoid danger, although they sometimes visit a few public places such as the local restaurant.
Regret and warning from inside Syria
From inside Idlib, Al-Mu'tasim Al-Sawadi expressed his deep regret over his decision, warning other refugees in Denmark against taking the same step. He said, "We don't know where the country is headed; it might improve, it might not. But it's best to be patient.".
Dreams of returning have turned into a harsh reality
According to TV2, Al-Sawadi explained that his family believed what relatives and friends told them: that life in Syria had improved after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad last year. They were told that the airstrikes had stopped and that the situation was safe. However, he said that no one mentioned the widespread kidnappings and killings in the country.
Therefore, the family accepted the Danish government’s offer of financial support in exchange for voluntary repatriation under the “voluntary resettlement” program, but the agreement stipulated that whoever receives the full amount loses their right to withdraw and return to Denmark.
Al-Suwaidi confirmed that he was aware of this when he signed, but felt he couldn't live forever as a stranger in Denmark, despite his professional success and his children's integration into schools. He added to TV2, "I was living well, but deep down I had a strong desire to return.".
Now he admits his regret, saying that they were living a stable life in Denmark with permanent housing, electricity, internet and regular education for their children, unlike the harsh conditions they face in Idlib.
Other families find themselves in the same predicament.
The TV2 report indicated that the Al-Sawadi family is not alone, as up to October of this year, 507 Syrians had agreed to voluntarily return to their country, representing 80% of all returns from Denmark during the year, compared to only 94 Syrians in the previous year when Assad was still in power.
According to the Danish Ministry of Immigration and Integration, as per the source, each adult receives approximately 160,000 Danish kroner as a start-up grant, and the total amount, including travel, medical equipment, and education costs, can reach 250,000 kroner. Children each receive approximately 50,000 kroner.
TV2 contacted other families and a Syrian woman with two children, all of whom expressed regret for making the same decision. Eva Singer, head of the asylum department at the Danish Refugee Council, confirmed that the organization had received calls from “several families” facing the same situation. She said, “Life there is extremely difficult. Electricity and clean water are scarce, and there is constant fear for personal safety.”.
Restrictions on the right of withdrawal
Eva Singer stated that returning refugees usually have the right to withdraw within 12 months of leaving Denmark if they return the financial support, but most Syrians waived this right because of the so-called “flexible system” approved in 2024, which allows for the full amount to be disbursed in one lump sum upon departure. Many families chose this option because of the difficulty of later transferring the money to Syria.
The Danish government welcomes and plans for forced deportations.
According to TV2, the Danish government welcomed the increase in the number of Syrians returning voluntarily. Immigration and Integration Minister Rasmus Stoklund stated in an interview with TV2 News that concluding an agreement to return Syrians to their country was “an important first step,” stressing that he hopes in the future that more of them will be sent back to their homeland when the need for protection no longer exists.
The authorities are currently gathering information about the new situation in Syria after the fall of the previous regime, in preparation for considering the possibility of deporting 72 refugees whose asylum applications have been rejected and who have been convicted of crimes.
Warnings of an unsafe return
Conversely, Sune Haugbølle, a Middle East expert and professor of global studies at Roskilde University, warned that Syria is not yet ready to receive large numbers of returnees. He said that while the security situation has improved somewhat since Assad's fall, it remains volatile, with sporadic outbreaks of political and sectarian violence, and that some 901,000 people live below the poverty line, according to UN reports. He added, "The country is completely devastated and suffers from a severe housing shortage.".
Humanitarian organizations reject the government's approach
Eva Singer of the Danish Refugee Council, for her part, reiterated her rejection of the principle of forced deportation, arguing that the time is not right to talk about a large-scale return. She said, “If Syria is to begin to recover, the government’s efforts there must focus on helping those who remain inside the country.”.
Minister Rasmus Stoklund rejected the criticism, saying in a written statement to TV2: “I hope we can deport all those who do not have a legal basis to remain in Denmark.”.
