32 Afghan Migrants Detained in Sewage Tanker in Turkey
Turkish media have reported that police in Diyarbakir province identified and detained 32 Afghan migrants who were hidden inside a sewage tanker truck.
According to reports, the operation took place on Friday under the supervision of the Anti-Human Trafficking and Border Port Directorate. Police officers stopped a suspicious towing vehicle with an attached tanker and discovered the migrants, who were being transported under inhumane conditions.
After undergoing medical examinations, the detained migrants were transferred to foreign nationals deportation centers. It was also reported that five others were arrested in connection with the case on charges of organizing human trafficking.
An Afghan migrant residing in Turkey said that thousands of Afghan migrants remain in camps in uncertain conditions, and some have died at border crossings due to severe cold, highlighting serious humanitarian concerns.
According to previous statements from the Turkish Immigration Directorate, over 42,000 undocumented Afghan migrants were detained in Turkey last year, making Afghans the largest group of detained migrants in the country.
Experts say widespread unemployment, poverty, and lack of clear economic prospects have forced many young people to leave Afghanistan through irregular routes. This situation has increased criticism of the Taliban administration’s performance, as despite several years passing, effective provisions for employment, livelihood, and social support have not been established.
A migration expert stresses that Afghan authorities must cooperate with international organizations to develop housing, job opportunities, and sustainable livelihoods for citizens; otherwise, risky migration trends will continue.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation previously announced that since the beginning of this year, more than 1,821,000 people have returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey.
