Mohammed al-Bashir appointed caretaker Syrian PM
Mohammed al-Bashir has been appointed caretaker prime minister of the transitional Syrian government until March 1, 2025, he said in a televised statement.
Al-Bashir has close ties to the HTS – the group that led the Damascus takeover – and heads their Idlib-based Syrian Salvation Government.
Over 130,000 Syrians waiting for asylum application results: UNHCR
The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, has told Al Jazeera that 131,574 Syrians across Europe were waiting for a response on their asylum applications.
Since al-Assad’s fall, Germany, UK, Italy and Austria have paused asylum claims from Syrians, meaning more than 85,000 applications have so far been put on hold, data provided by the agency shows.
“The suspension of processing of asylum applications from Syrians is acceptable as long as people can apply for asylum and are able to lodge asylum applications,” a spokesperson for UNHCR told Al Jazeera via email. “Once conditions in Syria are clearer, UNHCR will provide guidance to states on the international protection needs of relevant profiles of Syrians at risk,” the agency said.
Meanwhile, “Syrian asylum-seekers who are waiting for a resumption of decision-making on their claims should continue to be granted the same rights as all other asylum-seekers, including in terms of reception conditions”, UNHCR added.
“No asylum-seeker should be forcibly returned, as this would violate the non-refoulement obligation on States.”
European countries that froze Syrian asylum requests
Some European countries have put asylum applications from Syrians on hold until further notice following the fall of al-Assad regime. These countries include Germany, Switzerland, the UK, Norway, Italy, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, France and the Netherlands.
Syria was the top country of origin for asylum seekers in Germany this year – the largest country in the EU by population and GDP – with 72,420 applications submitted by the end of November, according to data from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) quoted by the Reuters news agency.
About 47,270 remain undecided, the agency said.
EU countries must uphold right to asylum for Syrians: NGO
The fall of al-Assad’s government has prompted several European countries to pause the processing of asylum applications or even call for the repatriation of refugees from 13 years of war, yet humanitarian organisations warn such moves may come too soon.
“It remains to be seen whether this new reality will allow Syrians to start rebuilding their lives, or whether an even graver crisis lies ahead,” the International Rescue Committee told Al Jazeera.
“While fighting in northwestern Syria has calmed, there’s still conflict in the northeast,” it said.
The organisation, which helps people affected by humanitarian crises, called on all countries where Syrians are living as refugees “to uphold the right to asylum, as well as the principle of safe and voluntary return”.
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