ISTANBUL — Turkish authorities have detained 49 Afghan migrants, including 13 children, during a coastal operation in Çanakkale Province, the Anadolu news agency reported.
The Turkish Coast Guard intercepted the undocumented migrants in the Ayvacık region as they attempted to leave Turkey through unauthorized means. Following legal processing by the Coast Guard Command, the migrants were transferred to a repatriation center, Anadolu reported.
This incident comes as Turkey continues to deport Afghan nationals in significant numbers. According to Taliban officials, Turkey deported 325 Afghan migrants over two days last week, on November 9 and 10. The Taliban also alleged that some individuals with valid documentation were among those sent back.
The rising deportations underscore the mounting challenges faced by Afghan migrants in Turkey and the broader region. Speaking at a recent session of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva, Nasir Ahmad Andisha, Afghanistan’s representative to the U.N., stated that more than 8 million Afghans have fled the country since the Taliban regained control in August 2021.
