At least 14 European countries have put asylum applications by Syrians on hold
Human rights groups and the United Nations have asked European countries not to deport Syrian refugees in haste amid the chaos and uncertainty that has gripped the West Asian nation following the ouster of president Bashar al-Assad.
After 13 years of civil war, which forced millions of Syrians to seek refuge in Europe and Asia, rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a rebranded Al Qaeda and Isis affiliate, swept the country and took control of Damascus over the weekend, overthrowing Assad and forcing him to flee to Russia.
Mr Assad’s ouster has offered hope to Syrians who endured a campaign of bombings, forced disappearances and torture under his family rule for decades.
While some Syrian refugees have expressed willingness to return home, many have been left apprehensive by the ongoing fighting between the rebel militia alliance and Kurdish groups backed by the US as well as incessant bombings by Israel targeting over 450 military and research facilities. Israeli forces have also invaded the demilitarised buffer zone along the Golan Heights, a swathe of Syrian territory that they have occupied for decades.
Shortly after Mr Assad's ouster, at least 14 European nations, including the UK and Germany, put asylum applications from Syrians on hold.
“No government should be sending or planning to send people back involuntarily," Human Rights Watch said in a statement.
Amnesty International said that given Syria's volatile situation, "countries should avoid plunging Syrian refugees and people seeking asylum into situations of further uncertainty and precarity".
Syrian opposition fighters celebrate after the Syrian government collapsed in Damascus
Syrian opposition fighters celebrate after the Syrian government collapsed in Damascus (AP)
The British government put 6,500 Syrian asylum claims on hold this week, immigration minister Angele Eagle said. She said that the UK would like to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees.
“Because the main reason people claim asylum from Syria … is that they were flying from the brutal Assad regime which has just collapsed before our eyes," Ms Eagle told Times Radio.
"So we can’t measure any decision against a factual reality at the moment."
A woman arriving from Syria walks with her luggage into Lebanon through the northern crossing of Al-Arida
A woman arriving from Syria walks with her luggage into Lebanon through the northern crossing of Al-Arida (AFP via Getty)
Germany, which hosts the third-largest population of Syrian refugees, announced on Monday that it was halting decisions on more than 47,000 claims from Syrians and prioritising applicants from other countries instead.
Germany has about 716,000 Syrian refugees, who mostly arrived after then chancellor Angela Merkel refused to close the borders to people fleeing the civil war in Syria.
Jens Spahn, deputy leader of the conservative CDU parliamentary group, suggested chartering planes and offering Syrians €1,000 (£825) each to leave the country.
Greece paused asylum applications of around 9,000 Syrians and scheduled a meeting for Friday to finalise the decision. The Netherlands was withholding for six months decisions on applications received less than 21 months ago, migration minister Marjolein Faber said.
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Croatia, Italy, Norway, and Denmark too have suspended asylum applications from Syrian refugees.
Members of the Syrian community hold flags as they rally on Sergel’s Square in Stockholm
Members of the Syrian community hold flags as they rally on Sergel’s Square in Stockholm (Getty)
At least 7.4 million Syrians remained internally displaced and nearly 4.9 million were seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, the UN said in a 2024 report.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said "all refugees have the fundamental right to return to their country of origin at a time of their choosing, and all returns must be voluntary, dignified and safe”.
No asylum seeker “should be forcibly returned, as this would violate the non-refoulement obligation on states," it added.
The Council of Europe said decisions made by its member nations to deport Syrians raised "urgent questions about whether states are acting in accordance” with international laws and the principle of non-refoulement.
The principle of non-refoulement prohibits the deportation of people to a country where they could face the risk of harm.
Human Rights Watch said the current approach of European countries “carries real risks, especially given how keen some European states are to declare Syria safe and begin returns”.
“The situation on the ground is fragile and unpredictable and the possibility of new waves of refugees fleeing persecution can’t be dismissed,” it said.