Turkey’s Directorate General of Migration Management announced Saturday the closing of hundreds of neighbourhoods to Syrians and other foreigners in its various states, in order to control their numbers in Turkish cities and towns and to prevent their gathering in specific areas.
A prior decision specified that the ratio of foreign nationals to the overall number of Turkish people must not exceed 25%. However, Migration Management announced that starting on July 1st; this rate would be reduced to 20%.
In mid-February, Turkish Minister of Interior Suleiman Soylu revealed that the ministry had approved the “mitigation” project, which aims to reduce the population density of Syrians and other foreign residents in some Turkish neighbourhoods and states.
Syrian refugees in Turkey are living in constant anxiety and fear of deportation, with Turkish statements ramping up about returning them to Syria within the safe zone that Turkey seeks to establish.
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A previous announcement made by the Ministry of the Interior back in June stated that a total of 781 neighbourhoods throughout 54 provinces will be off-limits to people from other countries.
On May 6th, Soylu said that Turkey has prepared 13 projects that include the construction of 250,000 housing units in the areas occupied by Turkey and the Turkish-backed Syrian opposition forces in Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain), Tel Abyad, Jarabulus and al-Bab.
Soylu’s words came after Turkish President Recap Tayyip Erdogan announced on May 3rd a project of establishing settlements in the Turkish-run areas in Syria to deport about one million Syrian refugees.
The Migration Management noted that starting from July 1st; the closed neighbourhoods have increased to 1,169 in different Turkish areas.
This article was 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.
