German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser have warned all supporters of the ousted regime of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad not to attempt to hide in Germany.
“To anyone involved in the Assad regime’s torture, who thinks of fleeing to Germany, I can say that we will hold them accountable for their horrific crimes with all the power of the law,” Baerbock said in an interview with German newspaper Bild am Sonntag.
She emphasized that international security agencies and intelligence services should work closely together.
Assad’s brutal regime was overthrown by the group Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) after nearly 14 years of civil war, which resulted in more than 500,000 deaths and millions of displaced people.
Assad and his family have sought asylum in Russia, granted directly by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
HTS is designated as a terrorist organization by both the United States and the European Union.
During Assad’s regime, tens of thousands of people were believed to have been unjustly arrested, tortured, and killed.
Faeser added that there are now controls at all of Germany’s border points.
“We are extremely vigilant. If supporters of the Assad regime try to flee to Germany, they should know that few countries will pursue their crimes as rigorously as Germany. Let this stop them from trying,” Faeser said to the newspaper.
Meanwhile, the debate in Germany continues about whether the approximately 1 million refugees who have sought asylum in the country should be encouraged to return to their homeland.
Frank Werneke, head of the Verdi union, opposes this idea.
“Whether in healthcare, hospitals, postal services, or many other professions, people who have fled from Syria help the country function,” he said.
Christiane Benner, head of another union, IG Metall, also argued that the country needs foreign labor.
According to the German Ministry of the Interior, there are currently 975,000 Syrians living in Germany.
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has suspended asylum decisions for Syrians due to the changing situation in Syria.
Health Minister Jens Spahn has suggested offering €1,000 to each Syrian willing to return home.
However, several other German officials have criticized his stance. /REL/
