Damascus, Syria - December 11, 2024 Storyline: Tens of thousands of Syrian asylum seekers are in limbo after some European countries put their applications on hold following the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his government. What started as a moment of hope and celebration for thousands has quickly turned into a cloud of worry for Syrians abroad, who initially embraced the change in leadership but are now left grappling with tough questions about what it all means for their future. With so much uncertainty about Syria's future, governments across Europe are scrambling to figure out their next steps. The political landscape has shifted, and policies for Syrians seeking asylum are being rethought. On Monday, several EU countries - including Germany, home to an estimated million Syrians, Austria, Sweden, Greece, the UK, and the Netherlands -- decided to pause asylum applications. More nations are expected to follow. This decision, impacting tens of thousands of pending claims, has been met with growing support across Europe. Some governments are pushing for stricter immigration controls including deportations, a move that the United Nations finds worrisome. UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen said that "it is extremely important that we now don't see any action from any international actor that destroys the possibility for this transformation in Syria to take place." As the future of Syria hangs in the balance, so does the fate of thousands seeking safety abroad. For now, Syrians face an uncertain road ahead, caught between hope for a better tomorrow and the harsh realities of shifting asylum policies across Europe. The rapidly evolving situation in Syria took a dramatic turn as al-Assad arrived in Russia seeking asylum after his government collapsed on Sunday following a sweeping offensive by militant groups. The groups, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), waged a major offensive from northern Syria since late November and have since swept southwards through government-held areas, capturing the capital Damascus. The fall of al-Assad's government brought a surprise end to the nearly 14-year Syrian civil war, adding to uncertainties for both the war-torn nation and the broader Middle East region. Shotlist: Damascus, Syria - Dec 8, 2024: 1. Various of footage showing Syrian opposition armed forces entering Damascus, pedestrians, traffic; Damascus, Syria - Dec 8, 2024: 2. Various of street view, pedestrians; FILE: Vienna, Austria - 2019: 3 Vienna City Hall; 4. National flag of Austria; FILE: Athens, Greece - March 29, 2021: 5. Athens City Council; 6. Greek national flag; FILE: London, UK - Aug 5, 2024: 7. UK national flag flying atop building; FILE: London, UK - April 26, 2017: 8. No. 10 Downing Street; FILE: Malmo, Sweden - Nov 23, 2015: 9. Swedish national flag; FILE: Stockholm, Sweden - Dec 11, 2018: 10. Ship cruising on river; FILE: Amsterdam, Netherlands - March 16, 2017: 11. Dutch national flag; FILE: Amsterdam, Netherlands - Nov 5, 2020: 12. Amsterdam Canal; buildings; FILE: UN Headquarters, New York City - Date Unknown: 13. United Nations headquarters; FILE: UN Headquarters, New York City - Date Unknown: 14. UN logo; 15. Various of UN flag. [Restrictions: No Access Chinese Mainland/No archive/Orient TV/Syria Alshaab TV/Zanoubia TV/Alhurra TV/ANN TV/Al Jazeera/ Al-Arabiya TV]