Thousands of Syrians fled their country in the wake of the civil war that started in 2011. Now, in 2024, with the fall of tyrannical Bashar al-Assad government, many refugees, who are mostly living in Europe, UK, Turkey and Lebanon are happy, relieved, and perhaps contemplating return.
European countries are rethinking their asylum policies for Syrians in the light of developments. Many also fear that the Syrian refugees will have to go back.
The civil war has displaced nearly 14 million Syrians internally or to other countries since 2011. More than 1 million Syrian refugees have sought asylum in Europe, according to Euro news.
What Has Happened In Syria?
Events in Syria spiralled on Sunday when rebels claimed Damascus after a lightning offensive that forced Assad into exile in Russia and raised hopes of an end to a 13-year civil war that has left the country in ruins.
Hundreds of thousands of people have died in Syria’s war, which began in 2011 and pitted Assad’s army against various rebel groups. May important cities were flattened by bombing. Millions fled or are in need of humanitarian assistance.
At present, the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an armed terrorist organization, has emerged as the de facto authority in Syria. HTS was listed in May 2014, when the Security Council Committee responsible for overseeing sanctions concerning ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaeda, and individuals associated with these groups, assessed that it was a terrorist organization with ties to Al Qaeda.
Its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa—better known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani – has evolved from being a Jihadist leader to a rebel statesman, and has said he does not want war with the West, but security of Syrians.
How Many Syrian Refugees Are There In The World?
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) data, as of December 11, 2024, there are 6.3 million Syrians living as refugees across 130 countries. As many as 7.4 million Syrians have been displaced internally.
Over half of them stay in Turkey, which has taken in over 3.1 million displaced Syrians. The refugees are also spread across Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.
Among European countries, Germany has the largest number of Syrian refugees, which is about 781,232, followed by Austria (112,926) and Sweden (87,702).
The UNHCR also said only 5% of Syrians live in refugee camps. And more 70% live in poverty without access to education and employment.
What Is Europe’s Plan For Syrian Refugees?
Germany, which has the highest number of Syrian refugees in Europe, said it wants to enable their “secure and dignified returns”. The German Foreign Office has set out an eight-point plan for a free and democratic Syria. “Voluntary, secure and dignified returns — which we have always called for — now appear, for the first time in years, to be within the bounds of the possible,” it said.
Its plan also includes the need for a cease-fire and for a commitment to reaching a “power-sharing agreement that upholds Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Meanwhile, Austria announced plans to deport Syrian migrants. Caretaker minister of interior, Gerhard Karner, a hardliner on migration policy, announced the suspension of family reunification and the introduction of a new “programme of orderly repatriation and deportation” that would apply to around 40,000 Syrians who have been granted protection in the last five years.
Belgium, France, Greece and Germany have decided to pause Syrian asylum applications. The vast number of Syrian refugees, who came to the EU seeking asylum, were granted either refugee status or subsidiary protection and allowed to remain inside the bloc for an indefinite time.
UK too has paused decisions on Syrian asylum claims. By the end of February 2021, more than 20,000 Syrian refugees had been resettled in the UK under a government scheme, according to the Refugee Council.
How Many Of Syrian Refugees Have Returned?
Since the start of the offensive on November 27, around 1 million people have been newly displaced from areas including Aleppo, Hama, Homs and Idlib governorates, according to UNHRC.
In addition, between late September and late November, Syria received more than half a million people fleeing Israeli airstrikes in neighbouring Lebanon. About 60% were returning Syrians, while the rest were Lebanese.
Though the figures are not available yet, but thousands of Syrian refugees have reportedly started returning to the country from Lebanon via the official Masnaa border point and other unofficial border crossings. At the same time, some Syrians have fled in the opposite direction into Lebanon.
Some are also returning from Turkey through the Bab al-Hawa and Bab al-Salam border crossings in northwest Syria, according to UNHRC.
Last year, only 38,300 of the 5.1 million Syrian refugees hosted by neighbouring countries chose to return to their country, according to the UNCHR.
What Will Be The Future Of Syrian Refugees?
There are refugees who are not rushing into returning to their country, but instead are trying to understand the dramatic events of the last two weeks.
According to Will Todman, CSIS’s Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Middle East Program, Syria’s political future is uncertain, with many Syrians fearful of the rebels led by HTS.
“A power struggle seems likely, with Turkish-backed groups fighting Kurdish-led groups in the north, exiled political leaders returning, and HTS trying to strengthen its control,” he wrote. “Many Syrians fear what HTS rule would mean. While HTS has attempted to assure minorities that they won’t be targeted, many Syrians are skeptical about their promises, given HTS’s Al-Qaeda roots and record of authoritarian rule in northwest Syria.”
He further stressed that the refugee return to Syria will be “fraught with challenges”, as this would put even more pressure on the country and would “undermine the prospect of a successful transition”. “It could backfire in ways that destabilize the wider Levant”, he added.
News explainers Is Europe Sending Back Syrian Refugees After Assad’s Fall, What About Lebanon, Turkey? Explained
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Publish date : 2024-12-13 04:26:00
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