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Following the end of the 61-year Baathist rule in Syria, Türkiye has seen a significant return of Syrian refugees to their homeland.
In a statement released Wednesdaytoday, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that since December 9, 2024, a total of 81,576 Syrians have returned to Syria.
Minister Yerlikaya detailed the current situation regarding foreign nationals in Türkiye: "In our country, there are a total of 4,121,663 foreigners who remain legally. Among them, 2,865,430 are Syrians; 1,066,013 are foreigners with residence permits, and 190,220 are under international protection."
The Minister also highlighted the efforts against irregular migration, stating, "In 2024, 142,536 irregular migrants were deported. In 7,871 operations against human smuggling, 5,164 individuals were arrested."
He further elaborated on the return of Syrian nationals, saying, "Since December 9, 81,576 of our Syrian brothers have returned to their country. Since 2017, 821,529 of our Syrian brothers have voluntarily returned to their homeland."
Türkiye's approach to managing migration includes extensive operations for identity checks. Yerlikaya noted, "We have 270 mobile migration vehicles in 81 provinces. From July 2023 until the end of 2024, we conducted identity checks on 2,647,963 individuals."
Addressing the broader context of migration, the Interior Minister stated, "Our main goal in combating irregular migration is to prevent the formation of attraction towards our country. Migration is a global issue that requires responsibility. We place great importance on cooperation in our discussions, especially with our neighbors. We are reducing bureaucratic processes in residence permit applications for foreigners coming to our country through legal channels for reasons such as trade, tourism, work, science, health, and education."
Additionally, a protocol has been signed with the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) to support international students studying in Türkiye, indicating a strategic move to facilitate legal migration while curbing irregular entries. (ILKHA)
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