Ankara (HRNW)- Turkish authorities have intensified a nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration and human trafficking, with Afghan nationals accounting for the largest number of those detained.
According to international news agencies, emergency operations against illegal migrants and human trafficking networks are continuing across Turkey.
Turkey’s Directorate of Migration Management reported that a record 70,000 illegal migrants were detained during the first six months of this year, including 19,574 Afghan nationals, while more than 6,000 suspected human traffickers were also arrested.
According to United Nations statistics, more than 13,000 Afghan nationals were deported from Turkey during the first five months of the year.
The Afghan news agency Khaama Press reported that millions of Afghans have left their country due to economic hardship, rising unemployment, and restrictions under the Taliban administration. Despite tighter border controls and enforcement measures, the movement of Afghan migrants toward Europe through Turkey continues.
According to international experts cited in the report, authorities remain concerned about human trafficking and other cross-border crimes linked to irregular migration. Experts also state that Afghanistan’s ongoing economic difficulties and humanitarian challenges continue to drive migration, warning that the crisis is likely to persist unless underlying conditions improve.
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