The government has paused all decisions on Syrian asylum claims following the rapid fall of the Assad regime over the weekend.

The Home Office said the move had been made “whilst we assess the current situation”.

“The Home Office has paused decisions on Syrian asylum claims whilst we assess the current situation,” a statement said.

“We keep all country guidance relating to asylum claims under constant review so we can respond to emerging issues.”

The move comes after Germany, Greece and Austria also paused asylum applications for thousands of Syrians.

The war in Syria had forced millions of people to flee the country, with the majority heading to Turkey and other neighbouring nations.

In the UK, more than 20,000 Syrian refugees had been resettled under a government scheme by the end of February 2021, according to the Refugee Council.

The offensive against the Assad regime that culminated in its downfall was led by Hayat Tahrir al Sham, a Syrian rebel group, that is currently proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK government.

Bashar al Assad, who took over from his father to rule Syria for 24 years, fled to Russia after the events of the weekend and is reportedly now in Moscow.