Austria halts processing of Syrian asylum applications
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According to the UNHCR, one million internally displaced persons in Syria, as of November 28, have begun returning to their homes since December 7.
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Syrians celebrate in Paris over the news of the ousting of Bashar al-Assad on December 8, 2024. (AP)
All asylum applications for Syrians in Austria will be postponed until further notice due to the transitional government's takeover of the Middle Eastern country, according to Austrian daily Kronen Zeitung, citing a government source on Monday.
According to the publication, 12,500 Syrians requested asylum in Austria in 2024, and thousands of cases are currently being evaluated.
The Syrian armed opposition announced on Sunday that it had fully taken control of the city of Manbij, northeast of Aleppo, following clashes with Kurdish units. It also seized control of Jableh, located near the Russian Hmeimim base in Latakia Governorate.
The Anadolu Agency reported that the new regime forces had captured 80% of the city, and announced their full control over several Syrian cities and the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's rule.
In a similar context, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) stated on Monday that the border crossings between Lebanon and Syria are closed, noting that immigration facilities and centers on the Syrian side are not operational.
According to the office, the UNHCR is aware of reports regarding the return of Syrians from Lebanon to Syria, with some movements observed through the Masnaa border crossing in the Bekaa region. However, while official border crossings in northern Lebanon are currently closed, returns are being reported through unofficial crossings in areas such as Wadi Khaled.
Procedures have been announced to facilitate returns to Syria, the statement further read, citing the Lebanese General Security Office. Regardless, it is important to note that "immigration facilities and centers on the Syrian side are currently not operational. Additionally, the UNHCR has been informed of thousands of Syrians fleeing from Syria to Lebanon."
In this context, the report mentioned that around one million internally displaced persons in Syria, as of November 28, have begun returning to their homes since December 7.
