The Swedish government is offering financial incentives to Syrian refugees to encourage them to return to their home country, while Turkey deported 1,486 Syrian refugees back to Syria last month. At the same time, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) welcomed the arrival of dozens of Syrians who were previously residing in Turkey to the Spanish capital, Madrid.
In February, the Turkish authorities deported 1,486 Syrian refugees back to Syria through the Bab al-Hawa crossing, located on the border with Turkey in the north of Idleb, which is controlled by factions loyal to Ankara, according to the Kurdish North Press Agency.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced on Tuesday that about 42,000 Syrians had returned to their country on their own after successive earthquakes hit southern Turkey and northwestern Syria on February 6th.
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Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) took to Twitter to welcome the arrival of a group of Syrian refugees who had been residing in Turkey to Spain. The tweet stated that the refugees would be registered and documented as recognized refugees by the Ministry of the Interior in Spain and provided with medical, psychological, and social assistance. Furthermore, the refugees would be accommodated in various reception centres run by Spanish NGOs under a program run by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Immigration.
The High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, expressed his gratitude for the response of Spain and other countries to the resettlement of Syrian refugees. He emphasized the urgent need to accelerate resettlement operations, as many refugees have been affected by the disaster and are in dire need of assistance. He called on countries to expedite the departure of Syrians from Turkey.
Swedish Immigration Minister Maria Malmer recently stated that her country is targeting a specific category of migrants and refugees who have failed to integrate into the local community in Sweden. In an interview with the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter, Malmer emphasized the need to make it easier for those who live in isolation, do not speak Swedish, and do not have a source of livelihood to return to their homeland.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
