Azerbaijan repatriates 16 citizens from Syria

Azerbaijan has safely brought back 16 of its citizens from Syria, the country's foreign ministry has announced.

The group was returned on 18 and 19 July following an operation by a government taskforce dispatched to assist nationals stranded in conflict zones.

Officials said the repatriated individuals received initial medical and psychological evaluations in Syria before being issued with emergency travel documents and flight tickets.

In a statement, the ministry of foreign affairs said the government would continue taking necessary measures to bring home Azerbaijani citizens who have become victims of armed conflicts abroad.

The latest returns bring the total number of Azerbaijani nationals repatriated from Iraq and Syria in recent years to 537, including 473 children and 64 women, according to ministry records up to 2025.

Thousands of foreign nationals remained in the region following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011. While the security situation in Syria has relatively stabilised following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, foreign governments continue efforts to repatriate their remaining citizens.