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Syrian President to Visit Berlin Amidst Deportation Push

Published January 16, 2026, 12:14
Syrian President to Visit Berlin Amidst Deportation Push

Syrian President Ahmed al-Saraa is expected in Berlin on Tuesday for talks with German officials. The visit comes as Germany seeks to accelerate the deportation of Syrian refugees, despite concerns about instability in Syria. Saraa will meet with President Steinmeier, while a meeting with Chancellor Scholz has not yet been announced. This visit is part of a broader effort by Saraa to re-engage Syria internationally following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. He has already visited the United States and France, and some international sanctions against Syria have been lifted. Germany, under Chancellor Scholz, is prioritizing the acceleration of Syrian repatriations, as it faces pressure from the far-right AfD party on the issue of migration. However, human rights groups are criticizing the deportation efforts, citing ongoing instability and rights violations in Syria. Violence between the government and minority groups is frequent, and several NGOs have called on Berlin to cancel the Syrian President's visit, calling it “unacceptable”. The Kurdish Community in Germany has also filed a complaint with German prosecutors, accusing Saraa of war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. This visit is expected to provoke strong reactions and test Germany's relations with Syria and human rights organizations.