Turkey Expels Dozens of Quake-Affected Syrian Families from Shelters

Hani Salem
During the past two days, dozens Syrian families have returned to Syria from Turkey after being expelled from shelters in Reyhanlı and Antakya under the pretext that priority being given to Turkish families.

On the border, Turkish border guards take the Syrian families’ identity papers and register their eye prints.

This followed a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit southern Turkey and northwest Syria on Feb. 6, leading to large-scale destruction and tens of thousands of deaths.

An official from Bab al-Hawa border crossing told North Press, “The number of the families that were deported from Turkey in the last 48 hours surpassed 65.”

The source added, “The number are expected to gradually increase, owing to racist treatment, especially after the earthquake.”

“The returning operations have begun since the third day of the earthquake after taking the families’ paper documents and registering their eye prints for the Turkish authorities to guarantee they will never return,” the source noted.

A female refugee, who hails from Deir ez-Zor and was returned from Antakya, told North Press, “Turks have begun to accuse us of being behind everything even the earthquake.”

The Turkish forces have participated in expelling Syrians directly and indirectly as Syrians are expelled from shelters without any intervention by the Turkish security forces, she said.

“One hundred and ten families were expelled from a shelter in Reyhanlı,” she added.