The decision comes as millions of refugees are now able to return to Syria following the fall of al-Assad’s regime.
Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has put a hold on asylum applications from Syria on Monday, according to local media. A spokespeson reportedly said the decision was made as Syria’s politicial future is currently too uncertain.
Local authorities said 47,270 applications were impacted by the application freeze, but that existing applications, which were already decided on, have not been impacted.
Reacting to the news, CDU’s Johann Wadephul said it must be assumed “that the rebels who have now won, have close ties to Afghanistan, to the Taliban.” The politician added that “these are not good omens,” and that it is therefore too early predict whether this will result in an increased return of refugees to Syria, or that more refugees will come to Germany.
Lamya Kaddor from Germany’s Green Party said she is shocked that people are already “directly calling” for deportations. “I think that’s more than cynical and, to be honest, populist. And it misses the point of the lives of many German-Syrians and people who come from this region,” she added.
Austria has also decided to put a pause on its asylum applications, the Interior Ministry confirmed to local media. 7,300 applications will be affected.
The start of the civil war in 2011, triggered by popular discontent and the pro-democracy Arab Spring protests, forced 14 million Syrians to leave the country. It is estimated that roughly one million fled to Germany.
After almost two weeks of intense clashes, Hayar Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) opposition forces seized control over significant areas and eventually declared victory in the capital city of Damascus, bringing an end to Bashar al-Assad’s dynastic rule of the country.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Sunday that the end of al-Assad’s rule in Syria was good news “for now”, and emphasised that the priority should be on restoring the country’s law and order.
“We will judge the future rulers by whether they make it possible for all Syrians to live in dignity and self-determination, defend Syria’s sovereignty against malicious interference by third parties and live in peace with their neighbours,” Scholz added.
