Around 1,200 displaced families from the predominantly Kurdish city of Afrin are set to return to their homes on Saturday, according to officials in northeast Syria, in what authorities describe as a major step toward ending displacement and politically motivated detentions in the region known as Rojava.

Hasaka Governor Nour al-Din Ahmed said preparations for the return process have been completed and that regional authorities are working toward a “zero displacement” phase.

“Our goal is for no displaced person and no political prisoner to remain,” Ahmed told Rudaw. He added that officials aim to create conditions “where no family remains in a state of displacement.”

Families from Afrin have experienced repeated waves of displacement since 2018, when they first fled during a Turkish-backed military offensive in northwestern Syria. Many were displaced again in 2024 following the collapse of the government of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and once more this year amid renewed clashes between interim Syrian authorities and Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria.

The latest fighting escalated in mid-January when the Syrian Arab Army and affiliated armed factions launched a large-scale offensive against positions held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The operation resulted in the gradual withdrawal of Kurdish-led forces from areas in eastern Aleppo, as well as parts of Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and the Kurdish-majority province of Hasaka.

After weeks of clashes, an internationally brokered agreement between the SDF and authorities in Damascus was signed in late January. One of the central provisions of the agreement focused on facilitating the return of displaced residents, including families from Afrin.

Ahmed also emphasized efforts to end politically motivated arrests and detentions in the region.

“Another of our primary goals is to have zero political prisoners or detainees of opinion,” he said, adding that authorities are working to ensure security and long-term stability.

According to the governor, once the return process is fully stabilized, local authorities plan to focus on improving essential services for residents across northeast Syria.