US extends temporary protection status for Syrians

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - Washington has announced an extension of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 7,000 Syrian refugees living in the U.S., which protects them from deportation.

The decision to extend the Syrians’ status for an additional 18 months “was made after a review of the conditions upon which the country’s designation is based, which was ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions," Kevin McAleenan, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s acting secretary, said on Thursday.

He added that the conditions supporting Syria’s designation for TPS continue to exist.

The statement underlined that the department head will review conditions in Syria to determine whether its designation should be extended again or terminated over the next 18 months.

"The secretary will make the next decision to extend or terminate the designation for Syria on or before January 30, 2021," it added.

Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in early 2011 when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on protesters with unexpected ferocity.

Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their lives, and more than 5.5 million civilians took refuge in other countries.

"Do not travel to Syria due to terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed conflict," warned the U.S. State Department in April, issuing a level four warning travel advisory for its citizens. "No part of Syria is safe from violence."