Türkiye has deported over 59,000 irregular migrants so far this year

By Esin Isik

ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye has deported just over 59,000 irregular migrants so far this year, up 136% from the same period last year, according to official figures.

According to data from the Interior Ministry's Migration Management Directorate General, 83,934 irregular migrants were denied entry to Türkiye in the first seven months of 2022, while a total of 451,096 irregular migrants in eastern and southern provinces were denied entry in all of 2021.

A total of 358,736 irregular migrants have been deported since 2016, it said.

In the first seven months of this year, 144 private flights deported 35,728 people to Afghanistan while 7,214 were flown back to Pakistan, it added.

Meanwhile, 514,358 Syrians voluntarily returned to their country, according to the figures.

Türkiye has been a key transit point for asylum seekers who want to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

Türkiye, which already hosts 4 million refugees – more than any country in the world – is taking new security measures both within and on borders to prevent a fresh influx of migrants.