Turkey forcibly deports 180 Syrian refugees to northern Syria
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – Turkish authorities deported on Sunday more than 180 Syrian refugees through Tel Abyad and Baba al-Hawa border crossings to areas held by Turkish-backed armed opposition, also known as Syrian National Army (SNA) in northern Syria.
An exclusive source told North Press that “Turkish authorities handed over about 55 Syrian refugees, including eight women and children, to the SNA’s Military Police.”
Turkey also deported 125 Syrians, including 29 women with their children, to Idlib, which is under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS – formerly al-Nusra Front) the source added.
Other sources pointed out that the deportation was done after taking all the identity papers from the refugees and taking their fingerprints and iris scans so that cannot go back to Turkey without notifying their relatives in Turkey.
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 one million Syrian refugees.
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.