Turkey forcibly deports 20 Syrian refugees to northern Syria
HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – Turkey deported on Saturday 20 Syrian refugees to northern Syria through Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) border crossing with Turkey in the north of Hasakah, northeastern Syria.
Exclusive sources told North Press that the Turkish authorities forcibly deported 20 Syrian refugees, including three women, to the countryside of Hasakah held by Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, aka the Syrian National Army (SNA).
Earlier on Saturday, the Turkish authorities deported more than 175 Syrian and Iraqi refugees to regions in northern Syria through the Tel Abyad and Bab al-Hawa border crossings with 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.