Bilal*, 39, worked as a bank manager in Damascus, and has been living in Sheffield with his wife and four children for the past year. He had his second interview about his asylum application in November and had been told by the Home Office that a decision on his case was "very close".
But his family have been left in limbo after the Home Office suspended about 6,500 asylum claims by Syrians, with the asylum minister, Angela Eagle, saying the government would like to facilitate the return of refugees to Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime.
Bilal said that even if it were to be deemed safe to return, there was no future for his children, aged 14, 10 and twins aged four, back in Syria.
This story is from the December 24, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the December 24, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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