Amid Syria's shifting political landscape, former Assad regime soldier Ahmed Masry, seeking asylum in the Netherlands, fears deportation to a country where defectors face deadly consequences. As Europe tightens immigration policies, tens of thousands of Syrian asylum claims remain in limbo.
Amid Syria's shifting political landscape, former Assad regime soldier Ahmed Masry, seeking asylum in the Netherlands, fears deportation to a country where defectors face deadly consequences. As Europe tightens immigration policies, tens of thousands of Syrian asylum claims remain in limbo.
Having fled Syria in 2017 and arrived in the Netherlands in 2023, Masry is studying English while awaiting news on his asylum status. “They execute people who worked with the ex-regime,” Masry said, adding, “If I go back, maybe they will kill me. There’s a big chance they will kill me... We deal with barbaric people.”
Masry also criticizes far-right figures who claim Syria is safe, suggesting they experience the situation firsthand. “Who will decide Syria is a safe country?” he asked. “I will advise, suppose, suggest Geert Wilders to go to Syria. Then you can decide if Syria is safe or not.”
Last week, the Dutch government, along with several European countries, suspended asylum applications from Syrians after rebels seized the capital and President Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia.
This decision impacts tens of thousands of pending claims and reflects Europe’s shifting stance on immigration, influenced by the rise of right-wing parties. Far-right leader Geert Wilders has called for Syrians to be sent back, further complicating Masry’s hopes for asylum and a work permit.
A CIA review has identified procedural flaws in a 2016 assessment that Russia sought to help Donald Trump win the U.S. presidency, but it did not chal...
A bus operated by Kern Transit overturned on Tuesday morning, after hitting railway tracks alongside Sierra Highway in Lancaster, California, accordin...
Scientists have sequenced the full genome of a man buried in pharaonic Egypt over 4,500 years ago, revealing that about 20% of his ancestry came from ...
A federal judge has halted President Donald Trump’s controversial asylum ban at the U.S.-Mexico border, ruling that the move oversteps his executive...
Vietnam is set to confirm the purchase of 50 Boeing planes worth $8 billion, alongside agreements to import $2.9 billion in U.S. agricultural products...
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy praised Türkiye’s strategic role in regional peace and stability during his visit to Ankara, highlighting its efforts in addressing the Ukraine war, the Gaza crisis, and broader UK-Türkiye relations.
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order on Monday ending the U.S. sanctions programme on Syria, The White House confirmed.
President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Monday formally ending U.S. sanctions on Syria, in a major foreign policy reversal that follows a series of diplomatic overtures between Washington and Damascus.
Türkiye and Syria have signed a new memorandum of understanding on international road transport, setting the stage for the resumption of direct overland trade between the two nations.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck off Japan’s Tokara Islands on Wednesday, with no tsunami warning issued but residents advised to remain vigilant.
China has ramped up efforts to protect communities impacted by flood control measures, introducing stronger compensation policies and direct aid from the central government.
The European Commission is set to propose allowing carbon credits from other countries to count towards the EU’s 2040 climate target, according to a leaked internal document.
Severe rain in Venezuela has caused rivers to overflow and triggered landslides, sweeping away homes and collapsing a highway bridge, with five states affected and no casualties reported so far.
Australia has confirmed a $1.3 billion missile deal with the U.S., highlighting its defence priorities, while stopping short of committing to Washington’s 3.5% GDP spending target.
A tragic ferry accident off the coast of Bali has left four dead and dozens missing, with rough seas complicating rescue efforts.
The Pentagon says U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites have degraded Tehran’s programme by as much as two years, following attacks last month that used heavy bunker-buster bombs.
A CIA review has identified procedural flaws in a 2016 assessment that Russia sought to help Donald Trump win the U.S. presidency, but it did not challenge the core conclusion that President Vladimir Putin directed the influence campaign.
Scientists have sequenced the full genome of a man buried in pharaonic Egypt over 4,500 years ago, revealing that about 20% of his ancestry came from Mesopotamia, in a rare discovery linking the two early civilisations.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment