Turkish Police Detain Over 30 Afghan Migrants in Sakarya and Bingol

Turkish police in Sakarya city detained 19 Afghan refugees hidden inside a truck and deported them from the country after completing legal procedures.

Police in Bingol city reported detaining 12 Afghan refugees during an operation against human smuggling.

Turkish media reported on Saturday that police operations in Sakarya and Bingol led to the identification and detention of 32 undocumented migrants, including 31 Afghans and one Pakistani.

According to the reports, 20 of the detainees in Sakarya were deported following legal processes, while the 12 from Bingol were to be transferred to centers for the deportation of foreign nationals.

In connection with these operations, judicial proceedings have begun against six suspects charged with human smuggling, and administrative fines have been imposed on them.

The Turkish Migration Directorate stated on its website that 3,053 Afghan refugees were identified and detained across Turkey during the first month of the current year. Afghans topped the list of detained refugees according to the directorate's statistics.

The process of detaining and deporting Afghan refugees continues in various cities across Turkey.