Turkey cancels Kimlik for thousands of Syrian refugees

IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – After the Turkish authorities sent text messages to thousands of Syrian refugees, Wednesday, to cancel temporary protection card (Kimlik), fears of deportation to Syrian territory have increased.

The kimlik is granted by the Turkish Directorate General of Immigration Management for Syrian refugees and entitles them to move freely within Turkish territory and receive all Turkish government services.

The General Directorate of Migration in the capital, Ankara, informed thousands of Syrians residing in Turkey and who hold the Kimlik that their restrictions have been completely stopped and that their temporary protection has been canceled, well informed sources told North Press.

The Turks are divided between supporters of the presence of the Syrians in Turkey and opponents who see them as a burden on the country’s crumbling economy.

During the past 48 hours, more than ten thousand Syrians residing in different Turkish states received the email, according to the sources.

“Your Kimlik has been canceled because the address you gave to the Immigration Department is not up-to-date or you were not at home while the police visited to check your address,” the email read.

The sources indicated that canceling the kimlik is supposed to target Syrians who have not updated their data.

However, many Syrian families who updated their data at the immigration centers and the Foreigners Division and completed all the administrative procedures involved have received the email.

The Turkish authorities are deporting every Syrian who does not hold a temporary protection card or whose card is not updated, to Syrian territory.

Last month more than 100 Syrians were deported to areas north of Aleppo.

According to international reports, Turkey houses about four million Syrians who fled war and deteriorating conditions in their homeland.

Reporting by Baha’ Nobani