Turkey Arrests 24 Afghan Refugees in Ongoing Crackdown

In a continuing series of arrests targeting Afghan refugees in Turkey, police in the Sakarya province apprehended 24 Afghan citizens who had entered the country illegally by pursuing a cargo truck.

Authorities have stated that the truck driver has also been detained on human trafficking charges and has been referred to judicial authorities for investigation. The individuals were transferred to a special immigration detention center on Saturday, November 7.

The news of this latest round of arrests came just a day after Turkish police detained another 24 Afghan nationals in the cities of Sakarya and Karadeniz.

According to the Turkish Interior Ministry, over 30,000 Afghan refugees have been identified and detained across various cities in the country since the beginning of this year.

Afghan refugees, fleeing insecurity, poverty, and political pressures following the Taliban’s takeover, are facing increasingly strict immigration policies in the region. The surge in arrests and deportations has further exacerbated their humanitarian situation.