Syria takes steps towards reconstruction as Rukban camp closes

The infamous Rukban displacement camp, long seen as a bleak symbol of Syria’s protracted civil war, has on Saturday, June 7, 2025, been officially shut down.

The last families remaining in the desert encampment have returned to their hometowns, closing a painful chapter in the country’s history of conflict and displacement.

Syrian Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa announced the camp’s closure on Saturday via a post on X, formerly Twitter.

He described the dismantling of Rukban as the end of “a tragic and sorrowful chapter of displacement stories created by the bygone regime’s war machine.”

Al-Mustafa referred to the camp as a “triangle of death.”

According to him, it stood as a grim reminder of the suffering caused by siege tactics and starvation, where people were abandoned in the desolation of the desert.

Rukban camp was set up in 2014 during some of the fiercest fighting of the Syrian civil war.

It was located in a deconfliction zone overseen by U.S.-led coalition forces fighting against ISIL (ISIS).

The camp became a place of last refuge for civilians fleeing both ISIL fighters and heavy bombardment by the forces of former President Bashar al-Assad.

Many hoped to cross the nearby border into Jordan, but access remained heavily restricted.

Over the years, the camp remained largely cut off from the outside world.

The Assad government rarely permitted humanitarian aid deliveries, and neighboring countries also blocked entry, leaving Rukban isolated under a crippling siege.

At its peak, around 8,000 people lived there in makeshift mud-brick homes, relying on overpriced, smuggled goods to survive.

The situation began to shift dramatically after Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in a rapid military campaign led by Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in December.

Since the regime change, displaced families have slowly begun returning to their hometowns, including those from Rukban.

President al-Sharaa has pledged to reunify the country and guide Syria toward reconstruction and reintegration with the international community.

His efforts gained significant momentum last month when he met with several world leaders, including former U.S. President Donald Trump.

During their meeting, Trump announced the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria, calling the decision a move to give Syria a “chance at greatness.”

The European Union quickly followed suit, also removing its sanctions.

These decisions have provided Syria with a much-needed economic boost after nearly 14 years of war and economic collapse.

Among the returning residents is Yasmine al-Salah, who spent nine years in Rukban.

She spoke with The Associated Press on Friday, describing her return home during the Eid al-Adha holiday as an indescribable joy.

Despite facing poverty, hunger, and a destroyed home, she said simply being back in her own house meant everything.

“Even though our house is destroyed, and we have no money, and we are hungry, and we have debts, and my husband is old and can’t work, and I have kids – still, it’s a castle in my eyes,” she said.

Her home is located in al-Qaryatan, a town in eastern Homs province, which suffered extensive damage during the war.

Raed al-Saleh, Syria’s Minister for Emergency Situations and Disasters, also commented on the camp’s closure.

He described it as the conclusion of “one of the harshest humanitarian tragedies faced by our displaced people.”

In a statement on X, he expressed hope that this development would be the first step toward closing other camps and returning all displaced Syrians to their homes in a safe and dignified manner.

According to the International Organization for Migration, approximately 1.87 million Syrians have returned to their original communities since the fall of Assad.

SyriaThe dismantling of Rukban marks not only the end of a notorious camp but also a turning point in Syria’s efforts to rebuild and heal from the devastation of war.

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