Afghans in Turkey

Turkish Afghans
Total population
129,323 (2021)[1][2]
Languages
Dari · Pashto · Uzbek · Turkish
Religion
Islam

Turkish Afghans are citizens of Turkey and non-citizen residents born in or with ancestors from Afghanistan. This group is part of the larger Afghan diaspora around the world. According to latest reports, there are around 129,323 Afghan refugees and asylum seekers in Turkey.[1][2] The government of Turkey claims that the total Afghan population in its country is around 300,000.[3][4] At the same time others have mentioned a total of 420,000.[5] This number likely includes citizens, legal residents, visitors, and the aforementioned refugees and asylum seekers.[6][7][8][9] The reason for the different numbers is that there is no proper way to count undocumented foreign nationals in a country.

The ones who are refugees or asylum seekers are protected from forceful deportation by the well-established non-refoulement principle and the U.N. Convention Against Torture.[10] Like many other migrants, the Afghans often use Turkey as a place of temporary residence to meet overseas family members, relatives and friends. Many others are en route to the European Union (EU) for the purpose of applying for asylum in countries such as Germany and the United Kingdom.[11] Some wealthy ones stay in Turkey on a temporary basis to be smuggled by airlines to as far away as North America. Meanwhile, those found in violation of law are often sent back to Afghanistan.[2][12]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference The Afghan refugee crisis brewing on Turkey's eastern border was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Onward Movements of Afghan Refugees (PDF), UNHCR, March–April 2021, retrieved 2021-08-10
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Turkey says hosting 300,000 Afghan refugees, ready for talks with Taliban was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Afghans fleeing the Taliban sparks renewed anti-migrant sentiment in Turkey was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference France 24 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Turkey Faces Dilemma as Afghan Refugees Start Arriving". Voice of America. July 29, 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-10.
  7. ^ "Afghan refugees are reaching Turkey in greater numbers". The Economist. July 31, 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-10. Many would like to get to Greece
  8. ^ "As Taliban Advance, Thousands of Afghans Seek Refuge in Turkey". The Wall Street Journal. July 26, 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-10. Migrants from Afghanistan are making arduous journeys through Iran to reach Turkey, which already hosts millions of Syrian refugees
  9. ^ "'Hundreds' of Afghans flee to Turkey every day in wake of Taliban takeover". France 24. July 16, 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-10.
  10. ^ "Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment". Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Retrieved 2021-08-10. Article 3 ... No State Party shall expel, return ("refouler") or extradite a person to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture.
  11. ^ Destination Unknown: Afghans on the move in Turkey, ReliefWeb, June 23, 2020, retrieved 2021-08-10
  12. ^ Mass Deportations of Afghans from Turkey: Thousands of migrants sent back in a deportation drive, ReliefWeb, June 21, 2018, retrieved 2021-08-10