At least 9000 Afghan refugees deported by Turkey since January 2023
Apr 25, 2023
Kabul [Afghanistan], April 25 : Turkey deported at least 9,000 refugees from Afghanistan back to the war-torn country since the beginning of 2023, Khaama Press quoted Human Rights Watch in Turkey as saying.
Ali Hekmat, the director of the Association for the Support of Afghan Refugees in Turkey, claims that between January 1 and the first week of April, the nation deported 29,000 refugees, the bulk of them were 8,780 Afghan and 1,581 Pakistani citizens, reported Khaama Press.
Citing a study, Khaama Press reported that Turkey deports up to a thousand Afghan refugees to their country of origin every week.
Organisations that support asylum seekers' rights claim that by making the fight against illegal immigration the focal point of his election campaign, President Erdogan is attempting to grab the attention of voters
There are now more people looking for refuge than ever before since the Taliban took control of the nation.
Since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, thousands of Afghans fled Afghanistan to the neighbouring countries fearing persecution and death threats. Most of these people entered host countries through illegal channels, now facing serious problems including forceful deportation and imprisonment.
Moreover, several media reports claim that a sizable number of Afghan migrants have recently returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey. Some of these refugees returned home voluntarily, while others were compelled to leave their host country due to lack of proper documents.