Displaced People from Madaya Delay Return Until Services Improve

On December 30, 2024, a reporter from The Syria Report returned from Turkey and visited his hometown of Madaya in Rural Damascus for the first time since being forcibly displaced in 2017. His initial impression was generally positive, as the town had largely retained its character, with scattered pockets of destruction. This contrasted with the nearby city of Zabadani, which has experienced far greater devastation.

The destruction in Madaya is primarily concentrated at the entrances to the town, which witnessed intense intermittent fighting during the siege imposed by regime forces after the opposition took control of the town in 2013. In 2017, opposition forces in the town agreed to a deal with the regime, which led to the displacement of the majority of its approximately 6,000 residents to northwest Syria. Those who remained were predominantly regime loyalists or individuals who underwent reconciliation agreements with the regime. This deal of 2017, known as the “Four Towns Agreement,” involved the reciprocal displacement of residents from Zabadani and Madaya in Rural Damascus and Kafraya and Fuaa in the Idlib countryside.

The luxury villas scattered in various locations around Madaya have suffered partial or complete destruction, explained the reporter. The town’s elevation, proximity to the Anti-Lebanon Mountain Range on the Syrian-Lebanese border, and its cool summer climate made it an attractive location for residents of the region and affluent Arabs and Syrians to build lavish summer homes. These villas are primarily concentrated in areas like Kroum Madaya to the east, Al-Shurfa, and Al-Buraq to the west, and most have remained uninhabited since 2012.

Eyewitness accounts indicate that some of these villas were damaged by regime shelling during the opposition’s presence in the area. However, significant damage occurred post-displacement when these villas were systematically looted over the years by armed groups affiliated with the Fourth Division, the National Defence Forces, and Military Intelligence. These groups alternated control of the town after 2017 and prior to the regime’s fall. The looting extended to structural materials, such as steel reinforcements, explaining the extensive destruction in some locations.

Additionally, there were instances of intensive looting carried out by local groups in the immediate aftermath of the regime’s fall and the days that followed. However, coordinated efforts by the local community and military operations authorities led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) eventually curtailed the looting and recovered some of the stolen items.

Following the regime’s fall, a few hundred displaced individuals and refugees returned to Madaya. Abu Oussama, 45, who had been displaced with his family to Idlib, told The Syria Report that he was among the first to return to the town after years of forced absence. Although his home had not been damaged by fighting or looting, years of abandonment had left it in need of renovation to make it habitable again. The high cost of building materials presents a significant obstacle to these repairs.

Abu Oussama also highlighted the difficulty of staying in the town due to the poor state of services, including the lack of water from the network, prolonged electricity outages, and the prohibitively high cost of fuel and heating materials compared to northern Syria. The town’s severe winter cold poses a serious challenge for anyone attempting to endure these conditions without reliable electricity or heating.

As a result, Abu Oussama decided to return temporarily to northern Syria, possibly until summer when the weather is milder. He expressed hope that services would improve, and fuel and building materials would become more affordable. 

Many others who visited Madaya briefly have made similar decisions, opting to return to northern Syria or Turkey until conditions in the town stabilise and essential services improve.

Mahmoud Hamada, a former member of the opposition’s medical committee in Madaya between 2011 and 2017, recently visited the town while on temporary leave from his job in Turkey. Mahmoud stated that he is not considering permanently resettling in Syria at this stage, particularly as some of his children are attending university in Turkey. He prefers to maintain his family’s current stability after enduring years of siege, war, and displacement.

A member of Madaya’s municipal council told The Syria Report that municipal officials are trying to carry on with work and provide assistance to returning residents. However, the municipality has been suffering from prolonged funding shortages. They have approached the newly appointed governor of Rural Damascus under the current Caretaker Government, who acknowledged the insufficient budget for supporting municipalities and advised local authorities to seek funding through community support or grassroots initiatives.

For now, the return of displaced residents to Madaya remains contingent on the improvement of services and living conditions, as the town continues to face significant challenges in its path to recovery.