'It's dehumanising': Syrians trapped in the UK asylum backlog face uncertain future

Words by Lottie Kilraine, ITV News Social Affairs Producer

The toppling of Bashar al-Assad's brutal reign has been a moment of celebration for many Syrians, but for the thousands seeking asylum in the UK, the future is uncertain.

The Home Office suspended all asylum applications from Syria earlier this week, following suit with a growing list of European countries including Austria, Germany, and the Republic of Ireland.

Sara Al-Shami, a young journalist from Syria, was left fearing for her life after being targeted for speaking out about the Assad regime earlier this year.

She sought safety in Britain, separated from her family but away from the brutality. Her name has been changed to protect her identity.

"I was afraid of returning home and getting arrested or being detained by the regime," Sara told ITV News.

"I was very afraid for myself and for my family. I felt like even though I was in the UK that they would still find me, I was having nightmares about being detained."

Sara is just one of more than 6,500 Syrians with UK asylum claims still outstanding. She said her experience of the system has been "traumatising and dehumanising".

The UK government's decision to pause Syrian asylum claims has left Sara feeling 'terrified of what's going to come next'

The government's decision to pause applications while events unfold in Damascus has now left her feeling like she's "stuck in limbo".

Sara had been preparing for her substantive interview - a crucial part of the application process to determine if a person will be granted asylum - which was due to take place this week, until she was given the news just hours before that it had been cancelled.

"I got a call from the Home Office saying 'your interview has been cancelled' and when I asked for a reason they didn't give me one," she said.

"I am already dealing with the uncertainty of my country's situation and now there is an added layer of uncertainty. The government's decision to pause asylum claims has just left me feeling terrified of what's going to come next."

While Sara remains cautiously hopeful that her home nation will one day be safe, she is concerned about the immediate power shift to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Syrian rebel group that ousted Assad.

HTS, led by Abu Mohammed al-Golani, is banned in the UK because of its past association with al Qaida, the terrorist organisation once led by Osama bin Laden.

"When I first heard and processed that the Assad regime has finally fallen, I think my feeling - and the feeling of my family still in Syria - was euphoria," Sara said.

"We were so euphoric because we never thought that this moment would come, and there was also a sense of disbelief. But now, a lot of the uncertainty has settled in and the situation is so chaotic - we just don't really know what is going to happen.

"Even after the fall of the Assad regime there is a sense of fear at the risks, and even if I were to go home, I would still essentially be fearing for my life."

Mohammad al Mokdad fled Syria in the lead up to the civil war, spending time in Jordan and Qatar, before claiming asylum in the UK to join his mother and siblings, who have had their applications approved, in Newcastle.

Speaking to ITV News, Mohammad said he is worried that the government could now deem Syria a safe country and deny his application, forcing him to return and be separated from his family.

"There is nothing left for me in Syria, my home was destroyed and my family have now settled here, I have no one left there," he added.

Millions of Syrians fled the country after the outbreak of civil war in 2011 and the Assad regime’s deadly crackdown on opponents.

Since then, more than 30,000 Syrians have been granted asylum in the UK, according to Home Office figures.

Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, said it is "vital" the government doesn’t rush to declare that the country is safe and should ensure all asylum claims are given careful consideration.

"People must not be left stuck for months with no idea what’s going to happen to them," he said.

"We know too well the long-term harm of leaving men, women and children in chronic asylum limbo, unable to move on with their lives while they wait for news of their fate.

“The reality is that no one knows what the future of Syria will be like - over 90% of the population are relying on humanitarian aid and UNHCR is warning that shelter, food, water, and warmth are all urgently needed as winter approaches."

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On Thursday the government staged an urgent Cobra meeting with ministers, which Defence Secretary John Healey said had “a laser focus on the role that we can play with allies to see a stable, peaceful transition" in Syria.

When asked by reporters how long the asylum system would be paused for, and whether the move was fair, Mr Healey responded: “This is early days".

“It’s a measure in response to rapidly changing developments, and the most important thing for us now is that the UK plays and will continue to play a full role with allies to see a stable, peaceful, orderly transition and that requires a political process," he added.

For now Syrians seeking safety in the UK, like Sara and Mohammad, continue their uncertain wait to find out their future.

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