BAB HAMAM CROSSING: Youssef Qramo fled conflict in Syria for safety in neighbouring Turkiye but after the deadly earthquake which devastated parts of both countries, he and thousands of fellow Syrians are returning to their homes in the war zone - at least for now.
Taking advantage of an offer from Turkish authorities to spend up to six months in rebel-held northwest Syria without losing the chance to return to Turkey, many are rushing back to check on relatives who also suffered in the February 6 quake.
"I haven't seen my family for four years, as I live alone in Turkiye," Qramo said after crossing into Syria. "The situation in Turkiye is miserable in the areas where the earthquake hit."
Officials gave no figures for the number of people entering at the Bab Hamam crossing, but at another crossing, Bab al Hawa, they said 4,600 Syrians had crossed since the initiative was announced.
Qramo, who had been living in the city of Gaziantep, said people were staying in tents in the cold and rain. As well as the harsh winter weather, Syrians had faced hostility, he said.
Even before the earthquake, the 3.6 million Syrian refugees in Turkiye had encountered growing resentment from Turks struggling with a rising cost of living and sometimes blaming the influx from Syria for their economic woes.
In Gaziantep, Qramo said police had moved Syrians out of a mosque where they were sheltering to make way for Turkish families. Several Turks in other quake-hit towns and cities have accused Syrians of robbing damaged shops and homes. "The situation is very tough for Syrians," he said.
Mansour Hamoud, who was living in the Turkish port city of Iskenderun, said he had been sleeping in a park after his home was destroyed.
"I decided to come back and live in my country. Dead or alive, I prefer to be with my family," he said. - Reuters
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