Germany halts Syrian asylum decisions amid political uncertainty

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) - German authorities have suspended all decisions on Syrian asylum applications amid growing uncertainty about conditions in Syria, local media reported on Monday.

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has paused decisions on 47,270 pending cases due to difficulties in assessing Syria's evolving political situation, news magazine Der Spiegel reported.

A BAMF spokesperson has confirmed the temporary suspension, while noting that previously approved cases remain unaffected by this pause.

Germany is home to approximately 1 million Syrians, most of whom sought refuge in the country following the outbreak of civil war in Syria in 2011.

The status of Syrians in Germany and Berlin's refugee policy have become key political points ahead of February's snap elections.

While senior politicians from the opposition Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) push for returning Syrian refugees to their homeland, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) and their Green coalition partners advocate a more cautious approach, citing Syria's unstable conditions.