Afghanistan, Sept. 8 -- Afghans were the second-largest group of asylum seekers in Europe in the first half of 2025, trailing only Venezuelans, according to the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA).
The EUAA reported that Europe registered about 399,000 asylum applications between January and June, a 23% drop compared with last year. Officials attributed the decline largely to the sharp fall in Syrian claims after the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad's government in December 2024.
Despite sporadic violence and Israeli airstrikes in Syria, the formation of a new government under Ahmed Shara has encouraged many to return. The UN refugee agency said more than 500,000 Syrians have gone back to their country since May.
Afghan claims, ...