Syrian Asylum Claims Suspended Across European Countries Following Assad's Ouster

Several European countries, including Britain, Germany, France, and Italy, have announced that they will freeze all pending asylum requests from Syrians, pending further clarification on the political situation in the country. Austria, however, has signaled a more extreme approach, stating that it will soon deport refugees back to Syria. This move is particularly notable, given the ongoing uncertainty and danger present in the country. According to the UK Home Office, as of September, there were 6,502 Syrians awaiting a decision on their asylum claim. The office has announced that it will pause decisions while it takes stock of the developments in Syria. Most of these refugees arrived in the UK in the past 12 months.