Turkey detains 60 refuges, including 27 Afghan children

The Turkish Coast Guard has detained around 60 refugees, including 27 Afghan children, who have now been transferred to a deportation center. In a separate incident, seven Afghan nationals have been arrested on charges of “human trafficking.”

Turkish media reported on Saturday that the Coast Guard “rescued” the refugees after receiving a report about a boat engine breakdown.

Turkish police have accused the seven Afghan citizens of sheltering migrants who had entered the country “illegally.”

Turkey, like Iran and Pakistan, has accelerated the identification and deportation of Afghan nationals, detaining and deporting hundreds of Afghan refugees in recent months.

Additionally, multiple reports have surfaced about violence against detained Afghan refugees by Turkish police.

Turkey now operates 32 repatriation centers with a combined capacity of nearly 20,000 people. According to Ali Yerlikaya, Turkey’s Interior Minister, these centers are “our greatest infrastructure strength for deportation.”

The plight of Afghan refugees in Turkey reflects the broader regional challenges faced by displaced populations. With heightened deportation measures and limited asylum opportunities, Afghan refugees often face dire conditions, including overcrowded detention centers and inadequate legal support.

The international community is being urged to address the escalating refugee crisis and ensure that host countries uphold human rights.

The situation calls for collaborative efforts to provide Afghan refugees with safer pathways and sustainable solutions to their displacement.

The post Turkey detains 60 refuges, including 27 Afghan children appeared first on Khaama Press.