TIRANA, Albania — Five Albanian citizens — two women and three children — have been repatriated from Syria in the latest operation carried out by Albanian authorities, marking another step in the country's long-running efforts to bring its citizens home from the region.
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Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama shared footage of the group arriving at Tirana International Airport, describing their return as both a humanitarian and state responsibility.
Rama said the five citizens should be given the opportunity for a new beginning under the protection of Albanian institutions.
Five Albanians Arrive at Rinas Airport
The repatriation operation involved several Albanian institutions working together with foreign authorities, particularly Syrian counterparts, according to Albania's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
The cooperation was aimed at completing the necessary procedures and ensuring the citizens' safe transit out of Syria and back to Albania.
The government has said that efforts will continue to bring other Albanian citizens home if the necessary conditions for a safe repatriation are established.
According to Albanian authorities, 44 Albanian citizens have now been repatriated from Syria through the various operations conducted over recent years.
However, there is still no official figure publicly available for the total number of Albanian citizens who remain in Syria.
A 79-Year-Old Woman's Decade-Long Ordeal
One of the most striking stories in the latest repatriation is that of the 79-year-old woman.
She reportedly traveled to Syria after the death of her son, intending to retrieve her grandchildren. Instead of returning home, she remained in Syria for more than ten years.
Her return highlights the extraordinary personal circumstances behind some of the repatriation cases and the long and complicated process involved in bringing Albanian citizens back from the region.
Albania's Repatriation Efforts From Syria
Albania's repatriation program has been ongoing for several years.
In 2020, five Albanian women and children were repatriated from the Al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria.
Among the most widely known cases were siblings Eva and Endri Dumani, who had been taken to Syria by their father.
Endri returned to Albania in 2020, while Eva remained in Syria for several more years.
In February 2026, Eva finally returned to Albania at the age of 21, following a lengthy and complex operation. She was initially transferred from Syria to Turkey before being brought back to Albania through a coordinated security operation.
Her case became a symbol of the fate of Albanian children who were taken to Syria by their parents and subsequently became trapped for years in camps in the region.
More Repatriations Followed
The Albanian government continued its operations after the initial 2020 mission.
In August 2021, another operation brought 19 Albanian citizens back from Syria.
A year later, in 2022, a further 13 citizens were repatriated.
The latest operation brings the total number of repatriated Albanians, according to Albanian authorities, to 44.
Despite these efforts, the exact number of Albanian citizens who remain in Syria remains unclear.
The Legal Consequences After Repatriation
Returning citizens from Syria has also created significant legal and security challenges for Albanian authorities.
In April 2024, Albania's Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime found nine women repatriated from Syria guilty of charges including participation in a terrorist organization and participation in combat activities in a foreign state.
The cases demonstrate the distinction authorities must make between individuals who may have been victims or dependents and those suspected of having actively participated in extremist organizations or armed activities.
Repatriation, therefore, does not automatically mean that returning adults are exempt from criminal investigation or prosecution.
Al-Hol and Al-Roj Camps Remain a Major International Challenge
For years, the Al-Hol and Al-Roj camps in northeastern Syria have housed thousands of women and children, many of them foreign nationals with family connections to people suspected of belonging to or supporting the Islamic State, also known as ISIS.
The camps have become one of the most complicated humanitarian and security issues left behind by the territorial defeat of ISIS.
For countries such as Albania, bringing their citizens home requires cooperation involving diplomatic authorities, security agencies and foreign governments, while also addressing humanitarian needs, child protection and potential criminal proceedings.
The latest repatriation once again places Albania among the countries continuing to take responsibility for citizens stranded in Syria.
For the five people who arrived at Rinas, however, the immediate significance is more personal: after years of uncertainty, they are finally back in Albania.