The Turkish Coast Guard detained 16 Afghan refugees en route to Greece and, after going through administrative procedures, handed them all over to the migration office in the city of Ayvacık.
Turkey says these refugees were on board an inflatable boat and were pushed back into Turkish waters by Greek forces.
Turkish media reported on Tuesday, April 9th, that all these Afghan refugees lacked residency documents.
Since the regime change in August 2021 in Afghanistan, the majority of Afghan immigrants have opted to leave the country for Iran and Turkey, aiming to reach European countries in pursuit of a better life. Upon arrival in Iran and Turkey, they encounter various challenges such as mistreatment, deportation, and hostility.
Many Afghan migrants depart their homeland due to a scarcity of job prospects, limited access to education, and the prohibition on girls’ education and employment opportunities for women and girls in Afghanistan.
The Turkish Coast Guard detained over a hundred Afghan refugees in March of 2023.
Reports indicate that detention, deportation, and mistreatment of undocumented migrants including Afghans in Turkey have increased.
The Turkish Ministry of Interior has announced an increase in inspection stops and mobile patrols in various cities across Turkey to identify and detain “illegal” migrants.
Turkish media reported on Thursday that Oğuzkan Yılmaz, the mayor of the town of Uşak in Turkey, has warned that if Afghan and Syrian refugees in this small town make the slightest mistake, they will be expelled.
