TURKEY – NPA
“Guaranteed smuggling route to Europe”, is something sought by Syrian refugees in neighboring countries or within Syria, who often are the victims of deception and death threats.
Some groups of Syrian refugees on social media in Turkey, are packed with dozens of posts for “human smugglers”, as they are called by the Syrians .
These groups promote their smuggling, through their posts, which are often a trickery for Syrians, who are seeking to reach Europe.
“We were forced to immigrate, by the regime forces, to the north of Syria, and after many attempts we got to Turkey”. Malik Addimashqi, 35-year-old,from Duma in the countryside of Damascus, who refused to reveal his real name.
Addimashqi thought about leaving to Europe, because of the difficult life in Turkey.
After searching for a way to reach Europe, he read in a group of Syrian refugees a post that says” There is a guaranteed route to Europe, with a contact number. “
“What has dispelled some of my fears is the comments of other people, who confirm the honesty and security of the route to Europe” He added.
“It was the beginning of the deception plan, that was plotted for me by these people”. It was clear to him that they were a group, agreed to fool Syrians, who seek stability through their arrival in Europe.
The smuggler refused to give Malik the details by telephone and they decided to meet at a coffee shop in (Axrai), where he explained the details of the trip to Malik, pointing out that he will be in Greece, delivered to another group to take him to Germany.
The smuggler stipulated that the required amount of $ 10,000 will be paid in installments and the first payment, of $ 5,000, should be delivered to a third person (a small office for the rental of real estate in Axrai) for entering Greece and the commitment of not entering the camp. The remaining amount will be paid in case of getting to Germany.
Addimashqi continued, “I was surprised on the day of the start of the trip, that I was not the only one. There were 5 families, including children, as well as two persons responsible for our smuggling “.
After a several hours-trip through the forests separating Greece from Turkey, they were surprised by the fleeing of the two smugglers. The smuggled people were captured by the Grecian border guards, to be handed over to the Turkish border guard, later.
“Tens of thousand dollars were what these smugglers took from the families and me. It was not surprising that the third person closed the small office and fled to an unknown destination,” Addimashqi concluded.
Rubber-type boat
In another story, similar to Addimashqi’s, Omar Al-Muhammad, a 33-year-old Syrian refugee living in Gaziantep, speaks of himself as a victim of human smugglers.
“The beginning was through social media, and what confirmed the honesty of the smuggler, was one of my relatives’ comment, who reached the Greek islands.” As he told North Press.
“After negotiating with the smuggler, with a group of 22 friends, we took off from Mersin for $ 2,500 to get to Greece, and we agreed to pay after getting on the rubber boat .” Al-Muhammad said.
One hour after the departure, Al-Muhammad and his companions were in the hands of the Turkish Coast Guard to be returned to Mersin. As for the smuggler, he refused to give the money back, and disappeared , because he was afraid to be captured by the Turkish security.
“Many others have drowned in the sea and their dreams have ended in the search for a safe place.”
The latest UNHCR statistics for refugees, in January of this year, confirmed that 2018 was “the bloodiest ,in the world ,in terms of sea crossing”. Nearly, six people dying each day trying to reach Europe across the Mediterranean. Moreover, the UNHCR estimated the number of people who died or were lost in the Mediterranean in 2018 at 2275 people.
Smuggle from Syria to Turkey
A Syrian refugee, 27, in Gaziantep, says that after several attempts to enter Turkey from Syria and risk being killed, he finally arrived at Antakya on the border with Syria.
“The human smugglers are operating from Syria to Turkey, where there are groups on ‘Telegram’ application, operating freely and without fear of legal consequences, because there is no deterrent within Syria”. He Added.
He assures that dozens of people trying to cross daily from the land close to Turkey in Idlib countryside, for money up to $ 400 per person, adding, “Here, you are at risk of death and banditry , because of strict measures imposed by the Turkish border guards, who do not hesitate to shoot at any movement inside the Syrian lands, plus, some Syrians got robbed by smugglers, who, usually, carry weapons.
He concluded his talk saying that after three failing attempts, finally succeeded in entering Turkey.
The number of Syrian refugees in the neighboring countries reached 5.6 million refugees until the end of 2018, and their number in Turkey reached 3.563 million. According to the UNHCR for refugees.