Yusup Zubairaev: about 500 Chechens from Syria want to return to Chechnya

About 500 Chechens, residing in Syria, wish to return to their historic homeland to the Chechen Republic; at present, the problems of the issuance of long-term visas and residence permits for them are being solved. This was reported by the Department of External Relations of the Chechen leader and the government of Chechnya.

"We strongly support the connections with the Chechen Diaspora in Syria. We have information about people, who would like to return to their historic homeland in Chechnya either to live there permanently or temporarily, while the situation in Syria is stabilized," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by Yusup Zubairaev, Deputy Director of the Department of External Relations of the Chechen leader and the government of the Chechen Republic.

According to Yusup Zubairaev, about 6000 Chechens live in Syria. "They are scattered across the country. Most live in regional centres of Al-Hasaka and Qamishli, and in the village of Rasulain. They also live in Damascus, the capital of Syria, and the cities of Aleppo, Homs, the Quneitra Regions," said the Deputy Director of the Department of External Relations.

According to him, Chechens moved to Syria as a result of relocation after the Caucasian war of the 19^th century: "At that time, some Chechens settled in Turkey, some in Syria and others in Iraq. A large number of Chechens settled in Jordan. There are some Chechens, who moved to the Middle East during the revolutionary events of 1917 in Russia."

In the event, if Syrian Chechens return to their homeland, the Office of the Ombudsman in Chechen Republic will provide all the necessary legal assistance to repatriates. This was stated by Aslanbek Badilaev, Spokesperson of the press service of the Chechen Ombudsman.