Turkey deports 18,000 Syrian refugees in December
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – Turkish authorities have deported 18,000 Syrian refugees from Turkey to Syria during December, official sources operating in four border crossings with Turkey in north and northwest Syria revealed on Friday.
An official operating in the Bab al-Hawa border crossing in the north of Idlib, northwest 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) in December has reached 7,600.
The toll is the highest in 2023, according to the official.
In addition, 5,300 individuals were deported through Bab al-Salama crossing and other 1,400 refugees were deported through Jarablus crossing, according to sources from both crossings.
Furthermore, the sources reported that the Turkish authorities deported about 3,750 refugees, including women and children, through Tel Abyad crossing in the north of Raqqa, northern Syria.
The total toll of the Syrian deported through the four crossings has mounted to 18,000 amid Turkey’s ongoing endeavor to deport the Syrians under the false pretext of “voluntary return,” according to the officials.