“Terror was directed at all of us, and must not be allowed to recur,” commented German Chancellor Olaf Scholz from Solingen, where three people were fatally stabbed the previous Friday by a person believed to be an ISIS operative. The case of Assi al H., a 26-year-old Syrian national who remained in the country despite an attempted expulsion, underscores a broader debate about how Germany handles asylum protections and deportations while confronting extremist violence. Scholz noted that the individual has been in custody since Sunday, with prosecutors promising rigorous judicial action against him.
Assi al H. arrived as a refugee in 2022, originally registered in Bulgaria. He was scheduled for transfer to Bulgarian authorities, but he was not located at his reception center on the appointed day. A subsequent warning and a delay in his assignment led to a decision granting him subsidiary protection. This sequence has become a focal point for critics who argue that bureaucratic gaps enable dangerous individuals to remain in the country longer than intended.
Ultranationalist exploitation and political reverberations
The attack’s impact extends beyond immediate injuries and loss. It has intensified political debates just days before regional elections in eastern Germany, where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) could become the leading party for the first time. In Thuringia, supporters have begun rallying around a slogan linked to AfD leader Björn Höcke, signaling the party’s influence on the regional stage.
Scholz appeared in Solingen alongside Hendrik Wüst, the prime minister of North Rhine-Westphalia and a senior member of the CDU, presenting a united front in the face of a tragedy that many say reveals accountability gaps across various government levels. The federal government has been pressured to advance large-scale deportations, arguing that the absence of robust removal policies contributes to perceived leniencies toward radicalized migrants who commit serious crimes. In Germany, roughly a million Syrians and about half a million Afghans live among its current residents, many of whom arrived during the 2015 refugee crisis. While some advocate for swift removals, legal and constitutional constraints complicate such plans and have prompted rebuttals from opposition parties and regional authorities alike.
The discourse has also highlighted the limits of proposed policies outside the legal framework, including opinions that any blanket ban on asylum for entire national groups would conflict with Germany’s constitutional guarantees and international obligations. Officials remind the public that deportation figures reflect complex cases that hinge on human rights protections, asylum law, and practical enforcement realities. In 2023, Germany conducted around 16,430 expulsions, up from 12,945 in 2022, with expectations for a further rise in the current year. However, many individuals designated for departure remain in a tolerated status for humanitarian or other reasons, and the broader plan for “large-scale remigrations” remains a contested goal rather than a simple policy fix.
Meanwhile, opposition voices have criticized proposals to reduce acceptance of refugees from conflict regions—claims that are often described as politically provocative rather than legally viable. The CDU and other parties emphasize that any course of action must align with constitutional and international standards. Today’s reality includes a substantial Syrian and Afghan population in the country, underscoring the need for thoughtful, rights-respecting approaches to asylum and security within a democratic framework.
The Solingen lesson
In the wake of the Friday assault, Solingen has shown both sorrow for the victims and vigilance against the rise of xenophobic sentiment. A recent demonstration by AfD youth drew hundreds of counter-protesters, underscoring the city’s ongoing struggle with its own history. Solingen is forever linked to a 1993 arson attack that killed five Turkish nationals, including three young girls, an event that left a lasting scar on the community. The latest tragedy adds another painful chapter to a city still healing from past violence and now confronting extremist threats tied to a global movement. In this context, the name Solingen has become a reminder of the fragility of social cohesion and the dangers of radicalization, a warning that the fight against hate must endure as a national priority.