Turkiye sends 227 irregular migrants back to Afghanistan

MALATYA, Turkiye

At least 227 Afghan nationals who entered Turkiye illegally were flown back to Afghanistan on Sunday, officials said.

The government's efforts to combat irregular migration are ongoing, with irregular migrants held in repatriation camps for a short period before being returned to their home country.

According to the local migration office, the plane carrying the migrants took off from the eastern province of Malatya and will land in the Afghan capital Kabul.

Since the resumption of the chartered flights from Malatya Airport, at least 681 irregular migrants have been sent to Afghanistan.

Turkiye has been a key transit point for asylum seekers aiming to cross to Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

The country already hosts 4 million refugees, more than any other country in the world, and is taking new security measures on its borders to humanely prevent a fresh influx of migrants.