Istanbul Says Sent 34,000 Irregular Migrants To Repatriation Centers Across Turkey

The Turkish city of Istanbul has sent 34,000 undocumented migrants who had arrived in the country since July 12 to repatriation facilities, the governor's office said on Friday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2019) The Turkish city of Istanbul has sent 34,000 undocumented migrants who had arrived in the country since July 12 to repatriation facilities, the governor's office said on Friday.

"Some 34,397 irregular migrants who arrived in the country between July 12 and Oct. 16 were transferred under the coordination of our governorate to the provinces where repatriation centers designated by the Interior Ministry are located," the office said in a statement, quoted by the Anadolu news agency.

The office added that "5,945 Syrians unregistered in our province were transferred to temporary accommodation centers in the provinces determined by the Interior Ministry."

Turkey is one of the main transit points for migrants and refugees seeking a way into Europe.

The country itself is also home to 3.6 million Syrian refugees.

Under a 2016 migration deal, Ankara pledged to help the EU stem the migration flow from the south. In particular, it committed itself to take back all undocumented migrants who arrive in Greece through its territory in exchange for the accommodation of Syrian refugees in Europe on a one-for-one basis and financial aid from Brussels.

After launching an offensive in northern Syria against Kurdish militia last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that he could "open doors" for Syrian refugees to cross into Europe if the latter deemed the military operation as an occupation.