Assad toppled, preparations for deportation begin: European countries make decision regarding Syrian asylum applications!

Following the attacks launched by jihadist groups led by HTS against the Assad regime in Syria on November 27, 8 

Jihadist groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which mobilized against the Assad regime in Syria on November 27, captured the capital Damascus on December 8.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose 24-year rule has come to an end, fled the country and took refuge in Russia.

With the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, the status of Syrian refugees around the world and their return to their home country have come to the fore.

Many European countries have made a new decision regarding the asylum applications of Syrians.

Following Germany, Austria, and Greece, the UK, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands have also suspended asylum applications for Syrian citizens. The Austrian government has gone a step further, announcing plans to deport Syrian refugees and send them back to their country.

According to NTV, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) in Germany has announced that it will not process asylum applications from Syrians until further notice.

AUSTRIA PREPARES FOR DEPORTATIONS

In Austria, the ministry also announced that they have suspended asylum applications from Syrians. It stated that Austria is preparing for deportations.

The UK Home Office announced that decisions regarding asylum applications from Syrians have been paused. The ministry stated, "The Home Office has paused decisions on asylum applications from Syrians while it assesses the current situation." 

The Finnish Immigration Service announced that while asylum applications from Syrians will continue to be accepted, they will not be processed. Antti Lehtinen, Director of the Asylum Unit at Migri, Finland's immigration agency, stated, "As of this morning, we have suspended the decision-making process for asylum applications from Syrians," noting that the situation in Syria has changed significantly.

Sweden also announced that all asylum applications from Syrians will be suspended. Carl Bexelius, Head of Legal Affairs at the Swedish Migration Agency, said, "Given the current situation, it is not possible to assess the grounds for needing protection at this time."

The Danish Refugee Appeals Board announced that the processing of asylum applications from Syrian citizens has been suspended. The agency stated, "The Danish Refugee Appeals Board is closely monitoring developments in Syria, and the committee will address the situation and the impact of developments on relevant decisions at its next regular meeting on January 16, 2025."

The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) announced that asylum applications from Syrian citizens have been temporarily suspended. In a statement issued by the UDI, the uncertainty of the situation in the country following recent developments in Syria was cited as the reason for the decision.

The French Ministry of the Interior announced that the government is preparing to freeze asylum applications from Syrians. It was noted that the decision is expected to be taken within a few hours.

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the French government is considering a solution similar to that of Germany, which has halted asylum applications for Syrians.

Dutch Minister of Asylum and Migration Marjolein Faber stated, "In recent days, developments in Syria have occurred rapidly one after another. For this reason, I have decided to temporarily freeze asylum applications from those arriving from Syria."

News Source: 12punto