Overview
- After touring the ruined Damascus suburb of Harasta, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said returns from Germany are only very limited for now.
- Wadephul announced up to €52.6 million in additional assistance for Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, including about €39.4 million for Syria, and met interim president Ahmed Al‑Scharaa in Damascus.
- The Interior Ministry said it is working on an agreement with Syrian authorities to enable returns starting with convicted criminals, despite the foreign minister’s reservations.
- The ministry confirmed that short visits by Syrians to their homeland will still lead to loss of protection status in Germany, and BAMF has resumed selective case processing for young, single, working‑age men.
- UNHCR warned against forced returns, saying Syria’s capacity to take people back is already exhausted, underscoring an internal split over timing and scope of repatriations.