Turkish authorities deport 12 Syrian refugees to northern Syria
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – Turkish authorities deported on Thursday 12 Syrian refugees through Tel Abyad border crossing with Turkey in northern Raqqa Governorate, northern Syria, after keeping them detained for days.
An exclusive source told North Press that Turkish authorities handed over 12 Syrians, including a young man shot by Turkish border guards, who had attempted to cross the border in the west of the city of Tel Abyad, to the Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, also known as the Syrian National Army (SNA).
He added that they were taken to a detention center in Tel Abyad for investigation.
Since the beginning of July, Turkey has launched a deportation campaign against the Syrian refugees residing in its territory, especially in Istanbul.
In late July, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that “more than 600,000 displaced people have returned to the country.” In May, Erdogan said that Turkey is working on ensuring the “voluntary return” of 1 million Syrian refugees.
The handover is the fourth operation carried out in August against Syrians detained while trying to cross the border to Turkish territories.
Though Syria is still unsafe for returns, Turkey tries to get rid of the refugees by forcibly deporting them, as the Turkish authorities have intensified the forced deportation of Syrians, as part of what they call voluntary return to safe areas in northwestern Syria, according to media and documentary reports.