Cyprus suspends asylum processing for Syrian applicants

NICOSIA, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus has suspended processing of asylum applications by Syrian migrants in the aftermath of mass arrivals by sea and the escalation of tension between Israel and Iran, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said in a statement on Sunday.

Over 800 migrants of Syrian origin arrived on small boats from Lebanon within a week and a further 141 arrived in three boats on Saturday.