The security situation in Syria remains “fragile”, “unstable” and “volatile”, according to an internal report from the Dutch foreign ministry that has been published after a court ruled it could not be kept secret.

The government said in May it would no longer publish country reports, which assess political and security conditions in foreign countries and are used to help determine asylum claims, a move much criticised by lawyers and campaign groups.

The publication follows a court case involving a Syrian refugees whose initial application was refused and who is appealing against that decision.

The Netherlands stopped processing refugee applications from Syrian nationals in December for a six month period, while it is unclear what the impact of the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad will be, and if it is safe for people to return.

According to the Volkskrant, the latest report, written in May, describes a highly unstable situation in Syria following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. It highlights sectarian tensions, renewed attacks by Islamic State, armed conflict between Turkish-backed groups and Kurdish forces, and Israeli air strikes in parts of the country.

“Overall, the country remains heavily militarised, with many armed factions and large quantities of weapons in circulation,” the report states. “Sectarian tensions repeatedly flared up into serious and widespread violence.”

Calls to return Syrians

In parliament, right-wing parties have been pushing to send Syrian refugees in the Netherlands back as soon as possible and PVV leader Geert Wilders said Syrians with temporary residence permits should be deported.

While the report does not offer a final assessment of whether Syria or any of its regions are safe, it concludes that as of April this year the country remained “fragile”, “unstable” and “volatile”, the Volkskrant said.

Despite the conditions, more than half a million Syrians have returned since Assad’s fall, mostly from neighbouring Lebanon and Turkey, according to the UN’s refugee agency UNHCR.

Around 250 Syrians have returned from the Netherlands with government support, though it is unclear how many others may have left independently. The Netherlands currently hosts around 165,000 Syrian refugees.

Those who do return face widespread destruction, the report warns. “One of the many obstacles for Syrians abroad returning to their country of origin is the large-scale damage or destruction of housing and civilian infrastructure,” the report says. Many find their former homes destroyed, uninhabitable or occupied.