Syrian Refugee Behind Viral Merkel Selfie Chooses Life in Berlin Over Return to Syria
Anas Modamani, now a German citizen, builds a new life in Berlin as debates over repatriating Syrian refugees intensify following Assad's ouster.
- Anas Modamani, whose 2015 selfie with Angela Merkel became a symbol of Germany's refugee policy, has no plans to return to Syria despite the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime.
- Now a German citizen, Modamani works as a freelance video journalist for Deutsche Welle and lives in Berlin with his Ukrainian fiancée, a mechanical engineer.
- He expressed concerns for Syrian refugees in Germany without citizenship, as political calls to repatriate Syrians grow louder ahead of Germany's February elections.
- Modamani's family remains in Syria, where ongoing instability and airstrikes continue to pose risks despite the war's official end.
- The viral selfie is featured in Angela Merkel's recent memoir, with the former chancellor reflecting on its impact on the refugee debate and her legacy.