Turkey deports 175 Syrian, Iraqi refugees to northern Syria
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – Turkish authorities deported on Saturday over 175 Syrian and Iraqi refugees to areas held by Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, aka Syrian National Army (SNA), in northern Syria, through Tel Abyad and Bab al-Hawa border crossings with Turkey.
According to informed sources, the Turkish authorities handed over 70 individuals to their affiliated Military Police via the Tel Abyad crossing in northern Raqqa Governorate, northern Syria, including 15 Iraqis who are currently undergoing security investigations.
Meanwhile, the Turkish authorities deported 105 Syrian refugees, including 27 women with their children, to areas under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS – formerly al-Nusra Front) in Idlib Governorate, northwest Syria.
The deportation process was carried out after collecting their biometric data, including eye and fingerprint scans, to ensure that they cannot return permanently without notifying their relatives residing in Turkey, according to the source.
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.