According to the Turkish state-run Anatolian Agency, 215 undocumented Afghan migrants, who have been transferred from Edirne to Istanbul, in northwestern Turkey, will be deported tomorrow.
215 Afghan migrants are reportedly waiting to be deported back to Afghanistan, on July 25th, on several flights following Turkey’s forced deportations, according to Turkish media, citing the Edirne Immigration Office.
According to the Turkish Migration Management Directorate, approximately 28,000 undocumented migrants have been deported from Turkey by Turkish authorities since the start of 2022, a 70% rise from the same period in 2021.
Since flights to Afghanistan started on January 27, Turkey has deported over 18,256 Afghan nationals to Afghanistan, according to the Turkish Interior Ministry.
The Migration Management Directorate said in a statement that Turkey deported 28,581 irregular migrants who entered the country unlawfully, broke visa and residency laws, worked without permits, engaged in fraud, and threatened public safety and security.
Nine charter flights scheduled between May 15 and May 22 carried 1,054 undocumented migrants back to Afghanistan, according to the migration office.
According to the Turkish ministry, since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021, illegal crossings from Afghanistan into Turkey have increased, as Turkey is the route for migrants looking to enter Europe.
