afrinpost-Exclusive
Following recent events in Kayseri, Turkey, Turkish authorities have intensified the deportation of Syrian refugees back to Syria through the Jarablus and Bab al-Salama border crossings. Militia groups “Al-Jabha Al-Shamiya” and the “9th Division” have exploited the situation by imposing financial ransoms on deported Syrians through forced detentions.
According to an our correspondent, “Al-Jabha Al-Shamiya” has established a special center near the Bab al-Salama crossing where they detain deportees until they pay ransoms ranging from 2000 to 2500 Turkish lira for their release. The militia confiscates the detainees’ personal IDs and phones to prevent them from contacting their relatives.
Similarly, the “9th Division” has set up a center near the Jarablus border crossing, where they detain deportees and demand ransoms.
It is estimated that over 360 people have been deported through the two crossings in the past week alone, turning the deportation of refugees into a new revenue stream for the “Syrian National Army” militias.
Maazen Alloush, the director of the Bab al-Hawa crossing, revealed that Turkish authorities deported 24,334 Syrians in the first half of 2024, with 11,973 under the category of “voluntary return” and 12,361 as “forced deportation.” In June alone, 3,164 Syrians were deported, and 1,144 have been deported since the beginning of July.
