Syrians living in Austria will be offered €1,000 (£833) to return to their homeland after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, the country’s chancellor has said.

Karl Nehammer, whose country froze asylum applications this week after Assad’s fall, said Syria needed its citizens “in order to be rebuilt”.

“Austria will support Syrians who wish to return to their home country with a return bonus of €1,000,” he said.