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The Syrian government on Tuesday called on refugees to return, saying it has successfully cleared large areas of “terrorists.”

The rare appeal reflects the government’s growing confidence after more than seven years of war. While officials usually appeal to Syrians abroad to return during television appearances and interviews, this is the first formal appeal broadcast on official media, the Associated Press reports. 

Syrian government forces, with crucial support from Russia and Iran, recently retook large areas near the capital, Damascus, and are waging a new offensive in the south that U.N. officials say has displaced more than 270,000 people.

The U.N. Security Council scheduled closed consultations for Thursday on the offensive and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the southwest at the request of Sweden and Kuwait.

The government currently controls over 61 percent of Syria, compared to early 2017, when it held just 17 percent, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which closely monitors the conflict.

The government refers to all rebels as “terrorists.”

Over 5.6 million Syrians have fled the country. The Foreign Ministry says many internally displaced have already returned home, urging refugees to do same.

Many Syrians are unable to return because their homes were destroyed in the fighting, or because they fear military conscription or retribution from government forces.