4 weeks Ago
The Dutch government announced previously it would stop releasing country reports that assess the political and security situation in foreign countries.
That decision was widely criticized, particularly by lawyers and advocates, who said the reports are crucial in making fair determinations about asylum claims. The court’s ruling applied to an appeal by a Syrian refugee whose asylum request was rejected.
The precarious state of Syria after regime fall
The May report describes lingering instability in Syria’s wake after Bashar al-Assad’s government has been overthrown. It points to rising sectarian violence, armed conflicts between Turkish-backed militias and Kurdish forces, and continued assaults carried out by Islamic State militants and Israeli airstrikes.
It adds that the country has maintained a high level of militarisation, and high number of weapons and armed factions.
In full And while some right-wing parties in the Netherlands parliament are calling for Syrian refugees to be returned, the report avoids making an unambiguous ruling on whether any part of Syria is safe. It does, however, underscore the widespread wreckage in this country.
Refugee returns and conditions in camps
More than half a million Syrians have returned home, largely from Lebanon and Turkey, since Assad tumbled, according to UNHCR figures. About 250 people officially have returned from the Netherlands, although many more may have returned on their own. Currently, there are some 165,000 Syrian refugees in the Netherlands.
Those who return typically encounter serious difficulties, including damaged or destroyed homes or homes that have been occupied. One of the main obstacles to return of displaced persons to their homes is the destruction of housing and civilian infrastructure.
