Syrian asylum seekers in Cyprus have started withdrawing their pending applications, with more expressing intention to follow suit following the fall of the Assad regime.
In a letter to the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection, they stated that “a new and hopeful day is dawning in Syria, as after 13 years of armed conflict, the regime of dictator Bashar al-Assad has come to an end”.
Nineteen withdrawals and three protection status revocations were recorded in a single day, officials said. The group “Syrians in Cyprus”, which authored the letter, acknowledged that whilst the political situation in Syria remains unstable and conditions uncertain, some members have expressed their desire to return voluntarily to Syria from the first day of what they called “a new page in Syria’s history”.
The group has called on the government to implement necessary measures for an organised, safe and dignified return for those choosing voluntary repatriation. They have also requested the extension of the Assisted Voluntary Returns (AVR) programme to include Syrian nationals.
Deputy Minister Nicolas Ioannides assured that his ministry would do everything possible to facilitate their repatriation. He explained that once asylum applications are withdrawn, the Immigration Department would issue the necessary documentation, after which individuals would need to arrange their own travel back to Syria, either directly or through third countries.
According to official figures, as of 31 October 2024, there were 21,517 pending asylum applications in Cyprus, with 14,158 from Syrian nationals. The examination of Syrian asylum applications has been suspended since April, following a presidential decision prompted by a surge in Syrian arrivals by sea and pending reassessment of Syria’s status.
This year, up to 31 October 2024, Cyprus has recorded 3,715 Syrian arrivals, with 2,821 arriving by sea and 894 crossing the Green Line.
Read more:
