President Erdoğan announces number of Syrians who have returned: 'We will not force anyone'

Stating that Turkey's strategic location offers opportunities while also harboring challenges, Erdoğan spoke as follows:

"For 13.5 years in our neighbor Syria, we did what was right, moral, and conscientious, even at the cost of paying a price. We will not let this nation experience a second Boraltan Bridge shame. That is what we said, and by risking everything, we did not allow such a stain of shame to be cast upon our history. 

During this process, we faced heavy pressure, were criticized mercilessly, and were even accused of treason. 

So, what happened in the end? Those who engaged in racism lost. Those who wanted to pack the oppressed into buses and send them to terrorist organizations and bloodthirsty tyrants lost.

On December 8, the Syrian people overthrew the cruel regime after 61 years of darkness and attained their freedom. 

Since the revolution, 133 thousand of our Syrian guests have returned to the lands where they were born in a voluntary and dignified manner. 

The number of our brothers and sisters who have safely returned to Syria to date has reached 873 thousand. 

As order and stability strengthen in Syria, this number will hopefully increase even further.

As I have pointed out before, we will not force anyone, but we will provide the necessary convenience to our brothers and sisters who wish to return."

News Source: 12punto