Scotland has welcomed its 2000th Syrian refugee three years ahead of schedule.

Scottish councils have pledged to resettle 10% of the 20,000 Syrians due to arrive in the UK by 2020.

Despite hitting that target early, several local authorities are expected to continue taking in refugees.

The Hamadas are among more than 400 families to have started new lives in Scotland since 2015.

Ahmad, his wife Nadiya and their children Hani, Hadi and Haitham, fled Damascus and found refuge in Iraq before travelling to the UK from Jordan.

"It was a very difficult life in Syria, I was worried about my children. There was no other solution but to leave the country," said Ahmad, speaking through a translator.

"We went to Iraq and were living in one bedroom and a living room because that's all we could afford. Our lives were work, work, work, just to get by.

"We didn't know what was waiting for us here, we didn't know what the future was."

Ahmad believes his family, who have been resettled in Aberdeen, might not have survived if they had remained in Syria.

"God takes life and he gives life," he said. "We probably wouldn't be alive if we had stayed in Syria. Some of us would be dead.

"Our children have started school and we've started English lessons. Now there is a way forward.

"We want to give this country something back for what it's done for us. It's not by sitting and receiving benefits, it's by doing something and working. We want to learn English, get jobs and contribute."

The Hamadas were accepted under a UN family reunification programme and after arriving in Scotland in September Nadiya was reunited with her brother Azad.

"We had an idea about the houses here but there was a lot more room than we expected. The neighbours knocked on our door and welcomed us, they told us if we needed anything they were there," she said.

Scotland has accepted about 20% of the refugees who have arrived the UK despite being home to just 8% of the population.

The first families arrived at in November 2015 and over the next year 29 of Scotland's 32 local authorities took in more than 1200 individuals.

Few councils outside of Glasgow had experience with refugees before the resettlement programme began.

Aberdeenshire Council, which agreed to take 50 families, has been as singled out as one of the best examples.

Bassel Aldaya, who was rehomed in the north east, said: "I could not believe the resettlement team's beautiful smiles.

"The care and support received was far beyond my expectations. We feel as though Aberdeenshire is home."

Scottish Refugee Council chief executive Sabir Zazai said Scotland should be proud of its response to the Syrian crisis.

"As a newcomer to Scotland myself I've been impressed by the rich tapestry of cultures and backgrounds living and working here," he said.

"We should all be proud of the welcome Scotland has shown to the Syrian families who have settled here and the support and friendship they have been offered.

"Scotland's local authorities have shown leadership and dedication in supporting people not just to rebuild their lives here but to go on and flourish here."

Alison Evison, president of local government umbrella body Cosla, said its members will continue to support refugees.

"We have a moral duty to help and protect those whose lives have been torn about by war and we are proudly leading the way in our dedication to the Syrian Resettlement Programme," she said.

"I am delighted to say our commitment does not stop with the initial goal that we set for ourselves at the start of Scotland's involvement in the programme.

"As long as we have the resources and support to do so, Cosla will continue to assist our councils so that more families are brought to safety over the years ahead."

The New Scots programme was launched in 2014 to help refugees settle north of the border but the partnership between the Scottish Refugee Council, Cosla and the Scottish Government ended earlier this year.

In its final report it praised the work that has done but warned many refugees and asylum seekers still struggle with unemployment, homelessness and prejudice.

The Syrian Resettlement Programme is a voluntary programme run by the UK Government in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and local authorities.

The government has committed to resettling 20,000 refugees through the scheme, as well as 3000 through the Vulnerable Children Relocation Scheme.

Refugees are granted refugee status and given leave to remain in the UK for five years, when they can apply for indefinite leave to remain.

Local authorities can choose whether to join - all of Scotland's 32 councils did - and participants receive a five year funding package.

The Syrian Civil War began in March 2011 following a series demonstrations against President Bashar al-Assad, whose family have run Syria since 1971.

The protests led to a bloody retaliation from the Syrian government, which eventually escalated into armed conflict.

By September 2013 more than 120,000 people had been killed, according to United Nations estimates. More than four millions Syrians have been forced to relocate and over two million have fled the country.

The war in Syria, along with other conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, have contributed to the most serious refugee crisis since the Second World War.