The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Some forcibly deported | Nearly 47,000 Syrian refugees return from Turkey in 16 days

More Syrian refugees have arrived in Syrian territory via border crossings to spend the unpaid leaves which Turkish government granted to Syrian refugees in Turkey following the violent earthquake which hit Syria on February 6. Meanwhile, the returnees are concerned about not being allowed to return to Turkey once again.

 

The number of Syria refugees who arrived recently in Syria from Turkey since the disaster took place has approximated 47,000; they crossed into Syrian territory via four border crossings as follows:

 

  • 20,603 people crossed through Bab Al-Hawa and Bab Al-Salama crossings.

 

  • 609 people crossed through Jarabulus crossing.

 

  • 9,001 people crossed through Tel Abyad crossing.

 

It is worth noting that most of those refugees have the temporary protection card ”Kimlik,” and they have come to Syria to spend the unpaid leave granted by Turkish authorities, while some have been forcibly deported.

 

On February 12, administration of crossings on the Syria-Turkey border announced that Syrian refugees with the temporary protection card ”Kimlik,” who lives in Turkish provinces which were affected by the earthquake, including Hatay, Marash, Diyarbakr, Gaziantep, Klis, Adiyaman, Urfa, Osmaniye, Malatya and Adana, were allowed to spent the unpaid leaves in Syria.

 

On the other hand, many residents are concerned about that this leave may be a plan set by Turkish government to let a large number of Syrians to leave Turkey for Syria under “voluntary return” and prevent their return to Turkish territory once again, especially since many Syrians see that the time of granting such leave, which lasts for three to six months, does not match the tragic situation in north-west Syria.

 

Also, some Syrians see that the decision of granting this leave comes as a part of Turkish authorities’ intention to send back nearly one million Syrian refugees to Syria, precisely in the recently-established villages in the so-called “safe zone” in north Aleppo countryside, where this plan has been put for satisfying parties opposition the Turkish regime before the incoming presidential elections.

 

These concerns have spurred Syrian refugees to stay in Turkey, fearing being stranded in Syria in the case that they are prevented from returning, and they expressed their astonishment of the long period of the leave granted by the Turkish government in this time.