Syrian Migrant Exodus: Cyprus Witnesses Return of Asylum Seekers Amid Policy Overhaul

Over 1,000 Syrian nationals have withdrawn asylum applications in Cyprus, opting to return home following the fall of the Assad government. Cyprus has noted a 41% drop in new asylum applications in 2024 due to stringent migration policies, although it faces criticism for breaching migrants' rights.

In a significant shift, more than 1,000 Syrian nationals have retracted their asylum or international protection applications in Cyprus with plans to return to Syria, while an additional 500 have already made the move, according to a senior Cypriot official on Friday.

Nicholas Ioannides, Cyprus' Deputy Minister for Migration and International Protection, stated this development came about after last month's fall of Syria's Assad regime, during talks with European Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner.

Cyprus has implemented stringent migration controls recently, aiming to curb a surge of migrants arriving either via boats from Lebanon and Syria or through its Turkish-occupied northern section from Turkey. This policy has successfully reduced arrivals and increased departures, though criticism remains over migrants' rights violations.

(With inputs from agencies.)