Will Europe force refugees back to Syria?

In the wake of the Assad regime's fall, European countries including Germany, Sweden, and the UK have frozen asylum applications for Syrians, leaving hundreds of thousands in limbo. Austria has gone further, initiating deportations despite Syria being officially unsafe for return. Over 14 million Syrians have been displaced since 2011, with bombings ongoing and critical infrastructure destroyed. Rights groups argue these freezes and deportations violate international conventions, urging a response rooted in safety, dignity and global responsibility.