UK could face another ‘wave’ of migrants if Syrian civil war escalates further

Reform UK Press Conference

Nigel Farage has warned of a new ‘wave’ of migrants (Image: Getty)

Britain could face another “wave” of migrants fleeing war in the Middle East, has warned.

Reform UK politicians, including Mr Farage, warned the “deteriorating situation” in Syria could lead to more pressure on the EU’s external borders.

Rebel forces, including hard-line Islamist insurgents, have swept across western Syria and seized the major city of Aleppo.

But Russian warplanes bombed fighters in numerous provinces and Iranian-backed militias have joined the conflict.

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Fears are escalating of another major civil war in Syria (Image: Getty)

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Many fear of another migration crisis as the Syrian civil war reignites (Image: Getty)

Mr Farage said: “We must protect ourselves from the stupidity of the EU and leave the ECHR or face yet more waves of young men coming to the UK.”

Reform UK Deputy Leader, MP said: “Due to the deteriorating situation in Syria, another mass wave of migrants is expected from Syria to the EU then UK.

“Britain is already suffering from the consequences of mass immigration and record illegal immigration. We must say no, we are already overwhelmed.

“Only Reform UK would be prepared to say no more and prioritise British people.”

Syrian insurgents captured four new towns early on Tuesday, taking them closer to the central city of Hama.

To the east, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said in a statement that they captured seven villages from pro-government fighters.

Syrian state media, however, denied the villages were captured by the US-backed SDF, saying the attack was repelled.

The villages are close to a base housing US troops in the area that is close to Iraq.

Since the start of 2014, 1.6 million Syrian asylum seekers have arrived in the , peaking in 2015 and 2016, when 693,175 arrived over the course of two years.

Italian foreign minister and former European Parliament president Antonio Tajani said: “We risk a migratory collapse. If the civil war continues, we risk seeing a repeat of what happened a few years ago when millions of Syrians fled the country.”

Security experts have warned the crisis could lead to an increased terrorism threat in the UK.

Sir Alex Younger, who ran MI6 for almost six years, said “many, many” ISIS fighters and their families are being held by Kurdish forces in eastern Syria.

Sir Alex warned of a “power vacuum” in the region if the West withdraws support, adding that ISIS bride Shamima Begum, as well as other battle-hardened British jihadis, are among those being held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in north east Syria.

Sir Alex told radio: “There is a key operational issue for the UK which is going to be driving a lot of our policy which is that the SDF, the Kurdish group, are holding many, many ISIS prisoners and their families who were taken after the end of the caliphate.”

Pressed whether it was people like jihadi bride Ms Begum, he added: “Exactly, and the camps represent a hotbed of radicalisation and haven’t been sorted out.

“If the SDF were to go off the job, our security situation here would worsen.

“So, I’m sure a big part of our policy is just making sure at least the eastern part of Syria remains stable.”

Syrian and Russian air forces were striking rebel-held positions in Aleppo’s eastern countryside, killing and wounding dozens of insurgents, according to a statement from the Syrian Prime Minister’s office on Monday.

Britain, America, Germany and France all called for de-escalation “by all parties”.

But Russian fighter jets bombed rebel positions in the Idlib, Hama and Aleppo provinces.

Captain Oleg Ignasyuk, who is in charge of the Russian forces in Syria, said that Russian bombing runs had killed 320 rebels and destroyed 63 pieces of equipment.

Iran has vowed to support dictator Bashar al-Assad, with Iranian-backed militias already said to have arrived in the country to reinforce Government forces.

And China said it “supports Syria’s efforts to maintain national security and stability” after a rebel offensive saw government forces lose control of Aleppo.

Sir Alex was in charge of MI6 from 2014 to 2020, a period which saw the rise of Islamic State and the Syrian civil war escalate.

The former spy boss slammed the “merciless brutality” of the Assad regime and welcomed “any setback” to it.

He added: “So, no I do not want him back in charge of Aleppo.

“Equally, you cannot pretend that a hardline Islamist group, albeit one that is trying to moderate its image, represents a great future either.”

Many other groups are competing for influence in Syria, he added.

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