The number of Syrians arriving in Germany has nearly halved since Bashar al-Assad was ousted, while asylum applications have also fallen sharply, amid calls from Chancellor Merz for returns. Meanwhile, the UN has recorded nearly 100 abductions in Syria this year, highlighting continued insecurity, even as the UK and the EU remove sanctions on the new President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
The number of Syrians moving to Germany has dropped sharply since longtime leader Bashar al-Assad was removed from power last December, Germany's federal statistical office reported on Friday (November 7).
Between January and September 2025, approximately 40,000 Syrians arrived, compared with about 74,600 during the same period last year, a decline of 46.5 percent.
Meanwhile, the number of Syrians returning home has increased by 35.3 percent, reaching 21,800, up from 16,000 the previous year. The fall of Assad, toppled by an Islamist-led rebel alliance, ended over five decades of dynastic rule, but the country’s security situation remains fragile with occasional deadly clashes.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has publicly announced that Syrian refugees living in Germany must return home now that the civil war is over. Earlier this week, Merz declared that Syrian refugees "no longer have any grounds for asylum" and could therefore qualify for deportation.
Figures show asylum applications from Syrians fell by about 67 percent to 19,200 through September, though they still account for the largest share of asylum seekers in Germany at 21.9 percent (Ukrainian nationals are not required to apply for asylum).
According to a 2024 census, 1.22 million people of Syrian origin live in Germany, 81 percent of whom immigrated themselves. The group has an average age of 26.6 years, and is predominantly male at 57 percent. Around 24 percent have German citizenship, according to the German news agency dpa.
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Nearly 100 people abducted or disappeared in Syria since January, says UN
Despite Assad’s ouster, Syria remains fragile, the United Nations has warned. Nearly 100 people have been recorded as abducted or disappeared since the start of the year, the UN Human Rights office (OHCHR) reported on Friday, with new cases continuing to emerge.
"Eleven months since the fall of the former government in Syria, we continue to receive worrying reports about dozens of abductions and enforced disappearances," OHCHR Spokesperson Thameen Al-Keetan told reporters in Geneva.
The OHCHR has documented at least 97 people who have been abducted or disappeared since January 2025, adding to more than 100,000 who went missing under Assad. Al-Keetan noted that the volatile security situation, including outbreaks of violence in coastal areas and Sweida, makes it difficult to trace missing persons, and some face threats for speaking to the UN.
The OHCHR cited the disappearance of Syria Civil Defense volunteer Hamza Al-Amarin, who went missing on July 16 while supporting a humanitarian evacuation mission during violence in Sweida. In May, Syria’s presidency announced plans to set up commissions for justice and missing persons to probe crimes committed under the Assad family.
UK removes sanctions on Syria’s president, EU to follow
Meanwhile, in a major diplomatic shift, the UK lifted sanctions on President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Friday, a day after the United Nations Security Council removed similar restrictions ahead of his meeting with US President Donald Trump next week. The European Union (EU) confirmed it would do the same.
The UK also lifted sanctions on Syria’s Interior Minister Anas Khattab. Both had been subject to financial sanctions targeting the Islamic State and al-Qaeda. An EU spokesperson said on Friday the UN decision would be reflected in EU measures.
"We remain committed to supporting a peaceful and inclusive Syrian-led and Syrian-owned transition to help build a better future for all Syrians," the spokesperson said.
Sharaa, once known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, took office as Syria’s president in January following the overthrow of Assad by insurgents led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. He had been under UN and UK sanctions since 2014, facing travel restrictions, asset freezes, and an arms embargo. The UN Security Council lifted those measures on Thursday, stating that HTS no longer maintains active links with al-Qaeda.
With dpa, Reuters, and KNA