Homeward Bound

European countries are moving swiftly to reassess their asylum policies toward millions of Syrian refugees in the wake of President Bashar Assad’s ousting, amid debate as to whether to return millions of refugees to war-torn Syria with concerns of renewed instability and potential new waves of migration from the country, the Washington Post reported.

Over the weekend, rebel forces led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group seized the Syrian capital Damascus, forcing Assad to flee the country.

While many Syrian refugees – part of what is currently the world’s largest refugee population, estimated at up to 7 million – celebrated Assad’s deposing in their host countries around the world, many European nations that had initially welcomed them announced they were suspending the processing of Syrian asylum claims.

Germany, home to nearly a million Syrian refugees, froze more than 47,000 pending asylum applications, citing the “unclear” situation in Syria. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser acknowledged that Assad’s fall brought relief to many refugees but emphasized the volatility on the ground.

“The situation in Syria is currently very confusing,” she explained. “Therefore, concrete possibilities for return cannot be predicted at the moment and it would be dubious to speculate about this in such a volatile situation.”

Austria went further, announcing plans for “orderly repatriation and deportation” and a review of all Syrian asylum cases, Bloomberg added.

In a bid to encourage voluntary returns, German opposition figures proposed incentives such as charter flights and financial support of more than $1,000 for Syrians willing to return. Similar measures are being considered in other countries, despite the European Union’s position that conditions in Syria remain unsafe for voluntary repatriation.

At the same time, far-right leaders across Europe intensified calls for deporting Syrian refugees. While some have framed Assad’s fall as an opportunity to reduce migration, others warned of a new wave of migrants and potential terrorist infiltration.

Refugee advocates echoed this caution, pointing to ongoing chaos, the lack of stable governance, and widespread infrastructure destruction in Syria, the Guardian reported.

Even so, Turkey – which hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees, more than 3 million – has been more proactive: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reaffirmed his government’s commitment to ensuring safe and voluntary returns and supporting Syria’s reconstruction.

Analysts suggested that Turkey may move toward large-scale deportations, a trend likely to influence European policies. Over the past few years, the refugees have become increasingly less welcome, especially as Turkey struggles economically.

Meanwhile, many Syrian refugees expressed mixed feelings about returning to their home country after more than a decade of civil conflict. For those living in Europe who have spent that time rebuilding their lives, the idea of returning to Syria under a new Islamist-led government is not attractive.

The HTS remains sanctioned by the EU for its ties to al Qaeda. Though HTS has publicly pledged tolerance and diversity, many refugees are skeptical of its transformation.

Others remain wary of a rushed repatriation process, fearing renewed conflict or a lack of basic infrastructure in Syria. Some observers also questioned if Syria’s new government will be able to handle the logistical challenges of reintegrating millions of people immediately.