Home Office pauses decisions on Syrian asylum claims following fall of Bashar al Assad

The government has paused all decisions on Syrian asylum claims following the rapid fall of the Assad regime over the weekend.

The Home Office said the move had been made “whilst we assess the current situation”.

“The Home Office has paused decisions on Syrian asylum claims whilst we assess the current situation,” a statement said.

“We keep all country guidance relating to asylum claims under constant review so we can respond to emerging issues.”

The move comes after Germany, Greece and Austria also paused asylum applications for thousands of Syrians.

The war in Syria had forced millions of people to flee the country, with the majority heading to Turkey and other neighbouring nations.

Home Office statistics show Syrians generated the fifth largest amount of asylum claims in the year ending September 2024 – behind Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Bangladesh.

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Some 99% of claims were granted at initial decision.

Earlier today Sir Keir Starmer announced a further £11m in humanitarian aid for the most vulnerable in Syria, including the hundreds of thousands who have been displaced in the conflict.

In the Commons today, Dame Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, asked her counterpart David Lammy whether the government could ensure there will be “no asylum claims from former members of the Assad regime in this country”.

She told MPs: “The Conservative government called for President Assad to go over a decade ago, and few will shed any tears at this vile tyrant’s removal from office.

“While Assad may have sought sanctuary in Russia, we look to the foreign secretary to explain what steps will be taken to gather evidence of the crimes his reprehensible regime is responsible for, and the actions being taken to bring him to face justice.

“Can he confirm that despite Assad fleeing to Russia to claim asylum, there will be no asylum claims from former members of the Assad regime in this country, many of whom will be associated with human rights abuses?”

Mr Lammy said it was “premature” to discuss resettlement schemes for Syrian refugees and that the government was working to record human rights offences carried out by the Assad regime.

“We have not got a diplomatic presence in Syria at this time, and indeed, the Syrians do not have a diplomatic presence here in the UK.

“So recording these actions is not straightforward, but of course, we continue to work, as she would expect, with NGOs and civil society to support them in their efforts.”

He added: “She raises the issue of Syrian resettlement. Let me just say that that is premature. This House, on a cross-party basis, has sought to support the humanitarian needs of Syrians.

“We recognise the displacement next door in Lebanon, in Jordan, in Turkey and in Iraq and neighbouring countries, and of course, we will continue to support people in those refugee camps and through the humanitarian aid that we support in the country at this time.”

The successful offensive against the Assad regime that culminated in its downfall was led by Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), a Syrian rebel group, that is currently proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK government.

Bashar al Assad, who took over from his father to rule Syria for 24 years, fled to Russia after the events of the weekend and is reportedly now in Moscow.

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Alongside the US and other Western allies, the UK is currently considering whether to remove HTS from its proscribed list of terrorist organisations.

HTS used to be a wing of al Qaeda known as the Nusra Front and has long been designated a terrorist group by the US, UK and Russia.

Its founder, Abu Mohammed al Jolani, cut ties with al Qaeda in 2016 in an effort to appear moderate and in 2021 he said he had no desire to wage war against Western countries.

The prime minister has said it is “too early” to decide whether to remove HTS from the list and that “no decision is pending on this”.

He was echoed by Mr Lammy, who said the government would “judge HTS by their actions”.