European countries put asylum applications from Syrians on hold until further notice on Monday after rebels seized the Syrian capital and President Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia following 13 years of civil war.
The decision, which affects tens of thousands of open claims, reflects the rapidly changing political situation in Syria as well as a resurgence of right-wing parties across Europe keen to restrict immigration.
Germany opened its doors wide to a surge of asylum seekers in 2015 at the height of Syria’s civil war, and is now home to nearly a million Syrians, the largest community in Europe.
The Berlin Interior Ministry said on Monday it would not process asylum requests until there was more clarity on political developments in Syria. Britain paused decisions on asylum claims as well, with the interior ministry saying it was assessing the situation.
Under a British government scheme, 20,319 Syrian refugees had been resettled in the country between March 2014 and February 2021, according to the Refugee Council.