1.2 million Syrians 'went back home' since 2015: Russia

The Syrian civilians have taken refuge in over 45 countries since the war broke out in 2011.

Syrian refugees prepare to cross into Syria by bus at the Lebanese border crossing point of Masnaa, in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. (Photo | AP)

MOSCOW: Around 1.2 million Syrian refugees have returned to their homes since September 2015, since Russia launched its anti-terror operations there, the Defence Ministry here has said.

According to the country's ministry-affiliated Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star) newspaper, as many as 1.186 million internally displaced Syrians have returned to their homes from refugee camps during this period, Xinhua news agency said.

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The Russian Ministry said on July 20 that more than 6.9 million people have left Syria since 2011 when the Syrian civil war broke out. Most of them are now living in 45 countries.