Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that the number of Syrians in Turkey has fallen below three million, marking a significant demographic shift.
Speaking during a budget committee meeting in the Turkish parliament on Wednesday, 20 November, Yerlikaya stated that the addresses of approximately 731,000 Syrians were outdated, while more than 580,000 others have recently updated theirs. His remarks were reported by several Turkish media outlets, including Dunya newspaper.
As of 31 October, the Migration Department’s records indicate that 2,935,742 Syrians remain under temporary protection in Turkey, a figure that has dropped below three million for the first time since 2017.
Turkey has actively urged Syrians to update their addresses by sending multilingual text messages in Arabic, English, and Turkish. On 5 August, Yerlikaya revealed that 729,000 of the 3.1 million Syrians residing in Turkey had no registered address. He warned that Syrians who fail to update their addresses within five months risk losing access to public services.
Refugees and Political Controversy
The presence of Syrian refugees continues to spark heated debates within Turkish political circles. Some opposition parties have centered their electoral campaigns around promises to expel Syrian refugees, accusing the government of mishandling migration policies. In response, the Turkish Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with the Immigration Department, has intensified efforts to manage migration, including conducting operations targeting “illegal” migrants.
On 18 November, Minister Yerlikaya announced the arrest of 51 smugglers and 1,644 “illegal” migrants during an operation named Kalkan. The nationwide operation involved over 24,000 officers and 7,000 teams across nearly 600,000 locations.
Allegations of Forced Deportation
Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch (HRW), have raised serious concerns about the treatment of Syrian refugees in Turkey. In a report published on 24 October 2022, HRW accused Turkish authorities of beating deportees and forcing them to return to Syria at gunpoint.
Turkish officials have denied these allegations, insisting that deportations are conducted under the framework of “voluntary return.” Nonetheless, reports of detentions, deportations, and alleged mistreatment continue to draw criticism from international observers.
The future of Syrian refugees in Turkey remains a contentious issue, reflecting the broader challenges of migration management and political discourse in the country.
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.
