Former German finance minister Christian Lindner has called for Syrian refugees in Germany to return to their home country after the sudden fall of long-time leader Bashar al-Assad. "For those people who came to us from Syria because of the civil war,

Nearly a million Syrians in Germany alone have made new lives. But after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, some politicians across the continent have suggested that refugees could return home.

This account of al-Assad’s fall, much of which has not been previously reported, is based on interviews with Syrian, Iranian, Iraqi and Turkish officials; Damascus-based diplomats; associates of al-Assad; and rebels who participated in his ouster. Read more here.

Assad, Germany faces a heated debate on the future of nearly one million Syrian refugees. Politicians are divided, with some calling for immediate returns while others stress the need for caution. What does the future hold for Syrians in Germany?

Judicial authorities in France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands have initiated proceedings against agents and senior officials of the former government, some of which have resulted in convictions.

BERLIN - Germany plans talks with representatives of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Damascus on Tuesday, the foreign ministry said, joining the United States and Britain in establishing contact with the Islamist group after it led the overthrow of Syria's Bashar al-Assad.

A German court handed a 10-year jail term to a Syrian former militia leader on Wednesday for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed under former president Bashar al-Assad.

It took only a few hours after the fall of Bashar al-Assad for some German politicians to begin suggesting it was time for Germany's million Syrians – many of them refugees from the 2015 war – to consider returning home.

Donald Trump’s US presidential election win, the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, and the Paris Olympics were among the news events that marked 2024.

A clear majority of German residents believe Syrian refugees should be allowed to remain in the country until conditions in their homeland are peaceful and stable enough to return, according to a new survey.

Putin, who said he hasn't spoken to Trump in four years, said he is open to meeting with the incoming U.S. president, who has repeatedly vowed to end the war in Ukraine soon after taking office on Jan. 20.

Donald Trump's US presidential election win, the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, and the Paris Olympics were among the news events that marked 2024.AFP looks