Refugees of the Syrian Civil War

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu reiterated his party's policy to send the Syrian refugees back to their country if his party comes to power.

Members of the Afghan community of Greece protest in Athens on 7 February 2014 over the death of 12 immigrants off the island of Farmakonisi on 23 January, 2014.  Photo: EPA/ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has underlined that developed nations are hosting 2.7 refugees per 1,000, while underdeveloped countries are sheltering more than twice this figure, blaming them for using the global refugee problem as advertising material.

“Let us give the Ukrainian refugees, including their children, a helping hand to a new peaceful life”

As the economy tanks and the number of Syrian refugees remains high, tensions between them and the host community are worsening.

Greek forces have forcibly pushed 94 Syrian refugees, 30 of whom were children trapped in an islet in the Meriç River that forms the Turkish-Greek border, for four days using violence.

While the Turkish government is working on preparations to ensure safe and voluntary return of 1 million Syrians who are under temporary protection in Turkey, an expert has warned the prevailing problems regarding security, the judiciary and the education system could make the process difficult.

Turkish authorities have imposed restrictions on the visits of Syrian refugees living in Turkey to Syria during the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

Each year, thousands of Syrian refugees cross the border into Syria to celebrate the holiday, which marks the end of the Islamic holiday month of Ramadan, and then return to Turkey.

Over 19,000 Syrians have been deported from Turkey since 2016 for violating law and order, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu has said.

To date, Turkey has deported more than 317,000 people, Soylu said, adding that the country hosts more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees.

As part of plans to keep foreign population at certain levels within local communities, officials are not allowing 16 provinces, including Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir, to admit additional refugees for settlement.