For Syrians in Europe, witnessing the autumn of the Assad regime was a second of euphoria that gave strategy to uncertainty and anxiousness about their nation’s nonetheless unsure political future.
Since 2015, practically 4.5 million Syrians have headed in direction of Europe, fleeing an countless civil warfare and a profound humanitarian disaster.
Many of them watched in disbelief over the weekend as rebels led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group moved throughout the nation, finally capturing the capital Damascus.
Bashar al-Assad’s sudden departure for Moscow ended a decades-long dynasty marked by brutal repression and human rights abuses.
“My complete household was crying,” Zahra Alhelamy stated. “My father got here operating into the room shouting ‘Syria is free,’ I assumed he was joking.”
Alhelamy, who’s 23, left Syria when she was 11. After touring on foot to Turkey, she and her sisters, brother and fogeys boarded a ship to the Greek island of Lesbos, a route harmful that has prompted the loss of life of 1000’s of individuals. yearly since 2015.
They stayed in Athens for 2 and a half years earlier than deciding to hunt asylum in Germany, first residing in a refugee camp earlier than shifting to Berlin after which settling in a small city close to the western German metropolis of Hanover.
Alhelamy stated that when her household first arrived in Germany, they felt “hopeless.”
“I could not perceive a phrase and we had been removed from any city or metropolis,” Alhelamy defined. After studying German, he educated as an assistant in a physician’s workplace.
Just a day after al-Assad fled, Germany – which has the most important variety of Syrian refugees in Europe with practically a million within the nation – introduced it will quickly droop asylum claims together with a lot of different international locations, together with together with Sweden and Greece.
Alhelamy and his household have asylum in Germany. Returning to Syria, nevertheless, wouldn’t essentially be an possibility.
“We do not know who the subsequent president might be, we do not know if there might be a subsequent president. It took me so lengthy to return right here, and I not have a spot to reside in Syria, if I got here again, what would have occurred?”
“I’m discriminated towards in Germany as a Muslim lady, however I began working right here, I reside right here and now it’s my second residence. Syria continues to be not protected,” she burdened.
“If it is not democratic I can not return”
For Bushra Alzoubi, who lives in Paris, the choice by European international locations to droop asylum requests is a reminder of the uncertainty and instability she confronted when making an attempt to hunt asylum in France.
Alzoubi, who fled Syria to Jordan earlier than coming to France on an educational scholarship, was initially granted subsidiary safety for 4 years, a choice she appealed and gained.
He says the method of searching for asylum was lengthy, difficult and, at instances, “humiliating.”
ANNOUNCEMENT“You always really feel such as you’re being instructed you are mendacity and that it’s important to show one thing,” Alzoubi remembers.
Those dealing with her claims don’t seem to have ample information of the dimensions of the humanitarian and political disaster in Syria to decide that’s vital to her, she stated.
Earlier this week, the French Interior Ministry stated it was engaged on the doable suspension of asylum requests by Syrian residents. In 2023, France recorded greater than 4,000 asylum requests from Syrians, in keeping with the OFPRA refugee authority.
“What’s occurring now to asylum seekers is that these factions are accused of being terrorists they usually additionally say they need to ship folks again,” Alzoubi stated. “What is your place? You have to be clear.”
ANNOUNCEMENTHTS, which led insurgent teams into Damascus, is listed as a terrorist group in a number of Western international locations. It at the moment seems on the EU’s counter-terrorism sanctions checklist as an al-Qaeda affiliate.
During her time in France, Alzoubi put huge stress on herself to study French and combine, finally acquiring a Master’s diploma in human rights and humanitarian motion from Sciences Po.
“I might wholeheartedly wish to return to Syria and work on Syria with the instruments and political consciousness I acquired overseas,” he stated.
“But to return, I really feel like I would wish reassurance. Right now nobody is aware of what’s going to occur, and nobody can know what’s going to occur.”
ANNOUNCEMENT“If it is not a democratic Syria, I can not return,” Alzoubi defined.
“Another Afghanistan”
For Mohamed Khedhr, seeing al-Assad escape was “like a dream”. “I by no means thought I’d see this in my life,” he instructed Euronews.
On Monday, nevertheless, he felt he had returned to actuality, as his province of Deir ez-Zor had not but been liberated.
The 38-year-old lives in Bavaria and fled Syria 9 years in the past, dealing with threats towards his life for his work as a journalist and activist documenting proof of human rights abuses beneath the regime.
ANNOUNCEMENT“(Removing al-Assad) was one purpose amongst many,” he defined. “We made the revolution, not solely to overthrow al-Assad, but additionally as a result of we had desires. We need our rights, we wish democracy, we wish a colourful homeland.”
“Now, what I see just isn’t what we dreamed,” Khedhr lamented. “I need to assume, let’s give them time, however my greatest concern is seeing Syria flip into one other Afghanistan.”
HTS chief Ahmad al-Sharaa, previously often known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, sought to reassure Syrians that the group is not going to dominate the nation and that common authorities companies will resume.
However, Khedhr stated that watching those that beforehand supported al-Assad rally round al-Jolani after HTS took Damascus was a worrying indication.
ANNOUNCEMENT“We don’t need somebody who idolizes himself. Al-Assad fell not due to al-Jolani however due to thousands and thousands of Syrians who sacrificed all the things that they had,” Khedhr stated.
“I place confidence in us Syrians, we now have paid the best worth for this freedom.”
