In response to the evolving situation in Syria following the collapse of the government, both Germany and Austria have announced the suspension of the processing of applications from Syrian refugees until further notice.
The German government confirmed that it would halt processing pending applications due to concerns regarding the instability in Syria. According to a report from the German media outlet Spiegel, there are currently 47,270 pending applications from Syrian refugees that will be affected by this suspension. However, authorities in Berlin assured that this decision would not impact individuals who have already been granted refugee status prior to the suspension.
Austria has also reported the suspension of asylum applications for Syrians, as indicated by the Kronen newspaper.
The recent downfall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the subsequent capture of Damascus by the terrorists of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have prompted calls from several German politicians advocating for the repatriation of Syrian refugees. Nonetheless, the German government has cautioned that the current circumstances in Syria remain uncertain, and any decisions regarding the refugees carry a major risk.