Several European countries are suspending asylum applications for Syrian refugees

Britain, Germany, France, Italy and several other European countries said a day after the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that they would freeze asylum applications for all Syrian refugees.

Germany and other European governments said Monday they were closely monitoring the fast-moving situation in Syria, while Austria indicated it would soon send Syrian refugees back to Syria. Far-right politicians in other European countries, including Germany, have made similar demands.

Migration is now the hottest issue across the continent, and Germany has Europe's largest Syrian population.

Alice Weidel, co-leader of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, poured disdain on Syrians celebrating Assad's downfall by holding huge rallies on Monday, writing on social media platform X: "Those celebrating a 'free Syria' in Germany clearly have no reason to flee there." They should return to Syria immediately."

A German foreign ministry spokesman said: "Unfortunately, the end of the Assad regime does not guarantee a peaceful future."

Germany has taken in nearly 1 million Syrian refugees, most of whom arrived between 2015 and 2016 under former Chancellor Angela Merkel.

German Interior Minister Johann Feiser said many Syrian refugees "can now finally hope to return to their home countries," but warned that the situation in Syria remains very unclear.

Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has suspended ongoing asylum procedures "until the situation becomes clearer."

In Austria, where about 100,000 Syrians live, Conservative Chancellor Nechammer instructed the Interior Ministry to suspend all ongoing Syrian asylum applications and review all asylum grants.

Austrian Interior Minister Peter Khanna said he had instructed his ministry to develop an orderly repatriation and deportation plan for Syrian refugees.

France's Interior Ministry will also suspend accepting asylum applications from Syrians, while authorities in Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway have announced similar moves.

The Home Office said it was doing the same while assessing the situation.

The Italian government announced after a cabinet meeting on the evening of the 9th that Italy would suspend the acceptance of Syrian asylum applications in line with other European partners.