KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Turkish security forces have detained 59 Afghan migrants and one Pakistani citizen who entered the country illegally, according to Turkish media.
As reported by the Anatolia News Agency, these individuals were identified and detained during a vehicle inspection in the Doğubayazıt district of Ağrı province. They were subsequently handed over to the relevant authorities.
According to the report, four individuals were detained on charges of human trafficking during the operation.
This comes just days after Turkish security forces detained 44 Afghan migrants, including 19 children, in two separate operations in the city of Çanakkale.
Meanwhile, a recent report by Politico has uncovered instances of severe abuse and mistreatment, including physical violence and exploitation, of Afghan and Syrian refugees in Turkish detention centers.
According to the report, of the 37 people interviewed, 30 reported that they had either experienced or witnessed beatings. “They treated us very badly,” said Dawood, one of the detainees. “They constantly shouted insults at us and even used their batons to beat us.”
Each year, thousands of Afghans leave their homeland, seeking a better life abroad, either through legal or illegal means. The majority, unable to secure legal pathways, attempt to reach Europe via illegal routes, often passing through Iran and then Turkey.
The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021 has resulted in a significant rise in the number of people fleeing the country. Many fear persecution and retaliation from the Taliban, forcing them to take dangerous and illegal routes to reach Europe or other countries.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), of the eight million Afghans who have migrated since 2020, approximately one million have moved to European countries, with the majority using illegal routes.
Meanwhile, the implementation of anti-migrant policies and the ongoing crackdown on Afghan refugees in Turkey and neighboring countries have led to the detention and deportation of thousands of Afghans in recent years.
Two weeks ago, Turkey deported 325 Afghan citizens back to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Last year alone, the country deported approximately 50,000 Afghans.
