What's next for Syrians and the HTS after al-Assad?

euronews (in English)

Syria's new ruling faction has cut ties with al-Qaeda and pledged to respect religious minorities. But their track record leaves many open questions about the future of democracy in post-al-Assad Syria.

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00:00The overthrow of the Assad government could change the fate of thousands of Syrian refugees in Europe.

00:13Since the civil war broke out in 2011, hundreds of thousands of Syrians sought protection in Europe and other neighboring countries.

00:23Turkey alone is estimated to host 3 million Syrian asylum seekers, according to official data, but the actual figures might be much higher.

00:35In the EU, Syrians were the largest group to receive protection status in 2023, numbering around 130,000 people.

00:48Within the bloc, Germany is home to the largest Syrian population, with more than 1.2 million people.

00:58But the end of the Assad tyranny, as Berlin called it, has prompted Germany to freeze nearly 50,000 asylum applications.

01:08France, the UK, Italy, Belgium, Norway, Denmark and Sweden announced similar measures.

01:18Austria, which is home to around 95,000 Syrian refugees, went even further by declaring the preparation of deportation plans.

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