Turkish authorities deport 6,800 Syrian refugees in 2 weeks
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – Turkey has stepped up deportation of Syrian refugees since the beginning of November, forcibly returning 6,800 Syrians to northern Syria.
An official operating in the Bab al-Hawa border crossing in northern Idlib Governorate, northwestern Syria, told North Press the number of the forcibly deported Syrians through the crossing to areas held by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front), which controls much of the region, exceeded 2,850 since Nov. 1.
Similarly, sources at the Bab al-Salama border crossing in northern Aleppo and at the Tel Abyad border crossing in northern Raqqa, both in northern Syria, informed North Press that the number of deportees since Nov. 1 through Tel Abyad crossing has reached 1,450 individuals, while those deported via Bab al-Salama has amounted to 2,500.
The total number of the Syrian deportees through the three crossings has reached to 6,800 amid Turkey’s ongoing endeavor to deport Syrian refugees on its soil under the pretext of “voluntary return,” according to the officials.