Erdogan to deport Syrians to hot areas in Syria’s northeast
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – In the framework of the demographic change, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was quoted on Tuesday as saying, “we are preparing a new project for the voluntary return of one million Syrian brothers who are in our country as guests.”
In a video message broadcast during a ceremony for the construction of new homes for Syrian refugees in Idlib, Erdogan said, “Some 500,000 Syrians have returned to safe areas from Turkey with operations across the border starting in 2016.”
About 4 million Syrian refugees are residing in Turkey, according to Turkish official statistics.
On April 22, the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu claimed that his country is working on “a safe and dignified return for the Syrian refugees.”
Cavusoglu added that before transferring the Syrians to their country, their basics should be secured including houses, schools, hospitals and job opportunities in a reference to the settlements the Turkish intelligence constructed northwest Syria, financed by Qatar and Kuwait in Afrin.
Cavusoglu’s remarks came in the framework of fulfilling the demographic change policy Turkey implements in the areas held by the Turkish-backed Syrian armed opposition factions in the Syrian north, according to reports.
Erdogan said in April, “Refugees will be returned to Syria after completing the process of constructing the temporary houses.”
The Turkish authorities continue to deport the Syrian refugees towards areas in northwest Syria under pretexts relevant to not obtaining the needed legal documents.
Recently, Turkish officials have made statements implied messages to the Syrian refugees that Turkey is working hard to “secure them a safe return to their areas turning a blind eye to clashes taking place there,” according to observers.