ANKARA

Turkish citizens living abroad have faced at least 88 attacks based on xenophobia and racism in the first nine months of 2019, according to a dedicated Foreign Ministry database.

In response to rising xenophobia, discrimination, racism, and Islamophobia across the world -- especially in Europe, where up to 5.5 million Turks live -- the ministry took action to set up the database to track attacks on Turkish citizens living abroad.

In addition, the ministry also established a 24-7 call center in order to help Turkish people targeted by such attacks and inform them of their legal rights. The call center also records attack statistics.

So far, 2019 has seen a total of 88 xenophobic attacks reported to Turkish foreign mission representatives.

Most of them -- 56 -- took place in Germany, while Austria and Switzerland both ranked second, with seven attacks apiece.

Six attacks were carried out in France, and two apiece in the U.S., the Netherlands, and Greece; also, Turks living in Belgium, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the U.K., New Zealand and Poland reported one attack apiece.

Given that most attacks are not reported to police or authorities, the true attack figure is thought to be much higher.

*Writing by Ali Murat Alhas