Syrian Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa announced the closure on Saturday via X (formerly Twitter), declaring that with the camp’s dismantlement, “a tragic and sorrowful chapter of displacement stories created by the bygone regime’s war machine comes to a close.”

“Rukban was not just a camp—it was the triangle of death that bore witness to the cruelty of siege and starvation, where the regime left people to face their painful fate in the barren desert,” he added.

Established in 2014 at the height of Syria’s brutal conflict, Rukban was located in a deconfliction zone controlled by U.S.-led coalition forces fighting ISIL (ISIS). It became a refuge for civilians fleeing ISIL fighters and the bombardments carried out by the then-government of President Bashar al-Assad, as many sought to eventually cross the border into Jordan.

However, Assad’s regime severely restricted humanitarian access to the camp, while neighboring countries also closed off entry. As a result, Rukban remained isolated for years under a punishing siege. At its peak, about 8,000 people lived in the camp, sheltering in mud-brick homes and relying on food and basic goods smuggled in at exorbitant prices.

Following Assad’s fall in December, after a lightning offensive led by Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, families began to leave the camp and return to their hometowns. Al-Sharaa has pledged to reunify Syria, rebuild the war-torn country, and reestablish international ties.

In May, al-Sharaa met with global leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, who announced the lifting of sanctions on Syria—a move he said would give the nation a “chance at greatness.” The European Union followed suit, also removing its sanctions. These decisions have provided Syria with a critical economic lifeline after nearly 14 years of war and devastation. (Aljazeera)