Cyprus announces the suspension of processing all asylum applications for Syrians

Cyprus announces the suspension of processing all asylum applications for Syrians

Apr 17 2024

ARK News… Cyprus has announced the suspension of processing all asylum applications submitted by Syrians due to a large influx of refugees arriving by boats, particularly from Lebanon.

The Cypriot government stated in a statement that this suspension is partly due to ongoing efforts to urge the European Union to reclassify certain areas of Syria as safe for facilitating repatriation.

This decision comes after Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades' visit to Lebanon earlier last week to discuss with authorities there the cessation of boats carrying migrants from Lebanese shores.

This request comes in light of a significant increase in the number of migrants arriving in Cyprus, which has risen by 27 times compared to the same period last year.

According to statistics from the Cypriot Ministry of Interior, around 2,140 individuals arrived in Cyprus by boats from January 1st to April 4th this year, with the vast majority being Syrians who left Lebanon.

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