UN: Majority of Syrian refugees don't plan to go home within year

Most Syrian refugees in the Middle East do not plan to return to Syria in the near future, according to a recent report from the United Nations’ refugee agency. 

UNHCR polled Syrian refugees living in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. According to the poll, a whopping 92.8% said they do not intend to return to Syria within the next 12 months, compared to 1.7% who said they do intend to return and 5.6% who said they were unsure. Of those who do not plan to go home, 77% said they would stay in their current country, while 16% said they would go to a new country. 

The report also highlighted specifics about the challenges Syrian refugees face in their home countries. In Iraq and Egypt, housing was the factor refugees struggled the most with. In Jordan and Egypt, it was food. Food prices are rising across the Middle East, in part due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

 A 57% majority of those polled said they do ultimately plan to go home to Syria.