Syrians' asylum applications to EU drop to lowest in decade
Asylum applications filed by Syrians in the European Union dropped to their lowest in over a decade in February following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad, the EU's asylum agency said Wednesday.
Data from the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) showed Syrians lodged 5,000 requests in the 27-nation bloc plus Switzerland and Norway in February, down 34 percent on the previous month.
'The latest asylum figures show how important stability in other regions is for Europe,' said Magnus Brunner, the EU's migration commissioner.
Longtime Syrian ruler Assad was toppled by extremist-led forces in December after more than a decade of civil war.
Hundreds of thousands of Syrians who had sought shelter abroad have since returned home, according to the United Nations.
Overall in February, the EU's 27 states, Switzerland and Norway received about 69,000 asylum applications, following a decreasing trend that started in October 2024, the EUAA said.
Syrians, who long accounted for the most applicants, were the third largest group, behind Venezuelans and Afghans.
France was the main recipient nation, followed by Spain, and Germany -- which had been the top destination for years.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leaders
2 hours ago
- Leaders
Britain Could Possibly Support Israel Against Iran: Finance Minister
British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves said on Sunday that Britain could potentially support Israel in its war with Iran that started on Friday, June 13, according to Reuters. Reeves noted that Britain's decision to send additional military jets to the Middle East was mainly driven by its intension to protect British bases and personnel. 'We have, in the past, supported Israel when there have been missiles coming in,' she added. Reeves also stated that they are sending in assets to safeguard their interests and support their allies. In 2024, Britain protected Israel from missile attacks from Iran. The British government also shot down Iranian drones heading for Israel in April. Moreover, it indicated that two of its fighter jets and an air-to-air refueling tanker participated in intercepting Iranian missiles in October. On June 13, Israel launched a wave of airstrikes on Iran under the name of Operation Rising Lion. The military campaign targeted Iran's nuclear facilities and killed top military commanders and nuclear scientists. As a response, Iran launched a retaliatory wave of missiles against Israel and targeted Tel Aviv. Israel also killed three more Iranian nuclear scientists, raising the total number of scientists slain to nine, according to Gulf News. Currently, both countries are trading missiles and attacks amid intensifying efforts to halt the conflict. Related Topics: EU Powers Offer Immediate Talks with Iran to De-escalate Tensions Putin, Trump Discuss Iran-Israel Conflict Pakistan Supports Iran, Urges Muslim World to Unite, Defy Israel Short link : Post Views: 11
Asharq Al-Awsat
4 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Macron Visits Greenland to Show European Solidarity After Trump Annexation Threats
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday he was visiting Greenland to show French and European Union solidarity with the Arctic island after US President Donald Trump's threats to take it over. Asked about those threats as he arrived in Greenland, Macron said: "I don't think that's what allies do ... it's important that Denmark and the Europeans commit themselves to this territory, which has very high strategic stakes and whose territorial integrity must be respected." Greenland is a self-governing part of Denmark with the right to declare independence. Both the Greenland and Danish governments say it is not for sale and only Greenlanders can determine their future. Trump has said he wants the United States to take over the mineral-rich, strategically located Arctic island, and has not ruled out force. His vice president, JD Vance, visited a US military base there in March. Macron, the first foreign leader to visit Greenland since Trump's explicit threats to "get" the island, was invited by the prime ministers of Greenland and Denmark. He has said his visit is meant to prevent any "preying" on the territory. "France has stood by us since the first statements about taking our land emerged. This support is both necessary and gratifying," Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen wrote on Facebook days ahead of Macron's visit. "I'm not worried that he (Trump) will be furious. It should be seen as us wanting to create more development in Greenland," Nielsen told Danish broadcaster DR on Sunday when asked if he believed Macron's visit would upset the US president. Asked if Macron would deliver an explicit message to the United States during his visit, an adviser to the French president told reporters: "The trip is a signal in itself," without mentioning Trump. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told RTL radio on Sunday: "Greenland is a European territory and it is normal that Europe, and notably France, show their interest." According to an IFOP poll for published on Saturday, 77% of French people and 56% of Americans disapprove of an annexation of Greenland by the US and 43% of the French would back using French military power to prevent a US invasion. Macron will visit the capital, Nuuk, as well as a hydropower station funded by the EU and a glacier, and discuss Arctic security and climate change with his hosts. Though Denmark is an EU member, Greenland is outside the bloc. The French adviser said the visit would be an opportunity to discuss how to give Greenland's association partnership with the EU a "new dimension". Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen made several visits to Paris after Trump's threats to seek French and European backing, and has placed orders for French-made surface-to-air missiles, in a shift of focus for Copenhagen. Enlisting the EU's only nuclear power is a way for Denmark, long one of Washington's most loyal allies in Europe, to project a form of hard power towards a suddenly more aggressive United States, said Florian Vidal of the Paris-based IFRI think tank. "The Trump administration's more aggressive posture is a shock that makes the French vision of Europe, one that is more autonomous, appear more reasonable for Denmark," he said. "From a Nordic point of view, France is a military power that counts." "I think the US president is serious. It's a difficult situation we're in. That's why it's really important that the French president comes, because it helps to emphasize the necessary European unity in this situation," Frederiksen told DR on Sunday.
Arab News
8 hours ago
- Arab News
Cyprus says it has been asked by Iran to convey ‘some messages' to Israel
NICOSIA: Iran has asked Cyprus to convey 'some messages' to Israel, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Sunday, as the east Mediterranean island appealed for restraint in a rapidly escalating crisis in the Middle East. Christodoulides spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday and he has also spoken to the leaders of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Greece, his office said. Earlier, Christodoulides told journalists Iran had asked Cyprus to convey 'some messages' to Israel but he did not say who specifically the messages were from or what they said. Cypriot officials offered no clarity on the nature of the messages, which came after the Cypriot foreign minister spoke to his Iranian counterpart on Friday night. Christodoulides also said he was not happy with what he said was a slow reaction by the European Union to the unfolding crisis in the Middle East. Cyprus, the EU member situated closest to the Middle East, had asked for an extraordinary meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, he said. Projectiles sent by Iran to strike Israel were visible from various locations across Cyprus on Friday and Saturday night. 'It is not possible for the EU to claim a geopolitical role, to see all these developments and for there not to be at the very least a convening of the Council of Foreign Ministers,' Christodoulides told journalists. Cyprus has offered to assist in the evacuation of third-party nationals from the region, and has called on all sides to refrain from actions which could escalate the conflict.
