Asylum applications from Syrian nationals temporarily suspended

The International Protection Agency (IPA) has temporarily suspended the examination of pending and new asylum applications from Syrian nationals.

In a statement on Tuesday, the IPA said that the decision has been taken to allow the agency to thoroughly assess the evolving situation in Syria and ensure that applications are reviewed under accurate and up-to-date conditions.  

This comes following the fall of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime after decades of family rule. 

On Sunday, Assad escaped the country and was granted asylum to Russia. Syrian Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rapidly took over the country with little to no resistance from the army.

The agency emphasised its commitment to resuming the processing of these applications as soon as possible, once the situation can be properly evaluated. 

“The Agency has decided to take this course of action in order to properly assess the evolving situation, since at present it is not possible to properly assess applicants’ reasons for seeking international protection.”

The International Protection Agency will continue to monitor the situation closely and remains dedicated to safeguarding the integrity and fairness of the asylum process while prioritising the rights of all individuals seeking protection.