Concerns about stranding Syrians refugees in the “safe zone” amid reports of preventing them from returning to Turkey
Reports circulating recently about preventing Syrian refugees who left Turkey in the past few days to spend the holiday of Eid Al-Fitr with their families in Syria from returning to Turkey again have raised concerns for many Syrians about being stranded in Syria. On the other hand, many Syrians in Turkey have been still hesitating to spend their holiday in Syria due to the recent contest between the Turkish government and opposition regarding this issue.
On April 20, the administration of Bab Al-Salama crossing suspended the crossing of Syrian refugees from Turkey to Syria until further notice, after the end of the first phase of preparations for Eid Al-Fitr visits. The crossing’s administration had confirmed that the number of people, who crossed Bab Al-Salama crossing in five days to spend the holiday in Syria, has approximated 3,150.
While on April 19, the Administration of Jarabulus crossing announced that it would not allow the crossing of Syrian refugees with the temporary protection cards ”Kimlik” issued by authorities in Gaziantep province and people with dual citizenship from Turkey to Syria from April 25 to May 13.
Sources from within the administration of Bab Al-Hawa crossing have informed SOHR that the crossing will not allow Syrian refugees to cross into Syria to spend Eid Al-Fitr holidays this year. However, there is no official statement or decision issued by the Turkish government yet. The sources have confirmed that a statement will be announced officially as soon as there is a consensus on Syrians’ visits to Turkey in Eid Al-Fitr.
As ambiguity surrounds the Turkish government’s measures of Eid Al-Fitr visits in Syria, Syrian refugees who had come to Syria before the decision suspending these visits are concerned about being prevented form returning to Turkey and they wait for a clear decision by Turkish authorities.
A 25-year-old man known by his initials as T. M. from the western countryside of Hama has obtained a permit to cross into Syria via Bab Al-Salama crossing on April 18 to spend Eid Al-Fitr holiday. However, he is concerned about being prevented from returning to Turkey, especially since all his family are in Turkey. Speaking to SOHR, T. M. who works in media-related activities for a charity association said “my last visit to Syria was in 2018, so I decided to spend this holiday in my homeland, after I suffered greatly to obtain Kimlik card. I wanted to visit many of my relatives who inhabit refugee camps in Syria, but I was shocked when I knew about the cancellation of Eid Al-Fitr visits, as well as the reports circulated about possibility to prevent Syrians from returning to Turkey after the duration of their visit. I left my family: my mother, my wife, my daughter and three of my brothers in Turkey. This decision has disturbed many Syrians who came to visit their families and relatives. Those refugees who arrived recently in Syria are school and university students, employees and others having families and business in Turkey, where Syrian refugees in Turkey enjoy a relatively stable situation at all levels.”
The man has called for revoking the decision or making amendments to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees who are spending Eid Al-Fitr holidays in Syria, especially since the families of Syrians who sought refuge in Turkey have been forced to displace from their towns and villages to refugee camps in north Syria region, so the refugees cannot stay with their families in these camps for a long time.
On the other hand, an activist known as M. A. told SOHR “north Syria region, particularly refugee camps, suffer from being over-populated and have experienced considerable congestion. Moreover, there are no capability for maintaining the Syrian refugees who came from Turkey to spend their holidays in north Syria, or for bringing back refugees in Turkey to north Syria or to the ‘safe zone,’ as Turkish government call. In order to bring four million people back to Syria and secure a state of stability, there is a need for regaining control of the areas captured by regime forces and their proxies and proceeding with a plan for rehabilitating these areas at all levels, including services, healthcare, education, as well as providing considerable food aids. Piling millions of Syrians in a small geographical area is impossible, and this is a stupid step by Turkey which is attempting to gain populist support and silence the opposition.”
The activist pointed out that the suspension of granting approval for Syrian refugees to spend Eid Al-Fitr holidays in Syria is unacceptable and violates the rights of refugees. This decision will tear apart Syrian families that have settled in Turkey for years, as most of those who came to Syria in the early days of registration for these visits have left their families and relatives in Turkey, and the new decision will impact them very badly, according to the activist.
M. A. has also confirmed that the Syrians who crossed into Syria are concerned about being unable to return back to Turkey again. The man added, “the most suspicious matter is that there have been no reactions by the local authorities in north Syria region so far, whether in Idlib city and countryside which are controlled by the ‘Salvation Government’ or in areas in north Aleppo countryside controlled by the ‘Interim Government.’ These local authorities have to call upon the Turkish government to issue a decision stipulating the resumption of Eid Al-Fitr visits to Syria and allowing refugees to return back to Turkey after the end of their holidays.”
Meanwhile, a 35-year-old man known as A. M. from the southern countryside of Idlib and living now in Istanbul told SOHR that he had intended to spend the holiday in Syria, but he was surprised by the Turkish government’s decision and cancelled his visit, fearing prevention from returning to Turkey in the case that he left to Syria.
The man continues, “this is an unwise and unjust decision. There are no confirmed reports of preventing Syrian refugees from returning back to Turkey, but in the case such decision is applied, then it will lead to a real disaster because very large number of Syrians refugees visit Syria during Eid Al-Fitr every year. These refugees cannot stay in Syria in the wake of the current dreadful living conditions. Most of the Syrian refugees in Turkey are workers, while a few are employees and their living conditions are relatively good. In the case that these Syrians are kept in Syria, they may not survive the great challenges they will face to secure a living for them and their families. In addition, the additional congestion of population will exacerbate the living conditions of displaced people in refugee camps further.
On April 22, the Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu stated that Turkish government would not allow Syrian refugees to enter Syria to spend Eid Al-Fitr holiday there. During an interview by a Turkish TV channel, Soylu confirmed that he would allow the crossing of everyone wanted to leave to Syria, but he would ban their return. Accordingly, these refugees would be kept in the “safe zone,” as he called. It is worth noting that the so-called “safe zone” refers to the areas controlled by Turkish-backed factions in Aleppo countryside in north Syria region, precisely “Euphrates Shield” and “Olive Branch” areas.
It is also worth noting that the number of Syrian refugees in Turkey approximates four million people, according to the statistics of the Turkish Directorate General of Migration Management. They have settled in most of Turkey’s major cities, such as Istanbul, Ankara and the province of Hatay which is near the Syria-Turkey border. The entry of Syrian civilians to Turkey has never stopped, as they cross into Turkish territory whether through official border crossings or with the help of smugglers.