RASC News Agency: The Turkish Ministry of Interior recently issued a statement concerning the legal residence status of Afghanistani citizens living in Turkey. According to the release on January 16th, Afghanistan ranks ninth among countries seeking residence in Turkey. The Immigration Department of the Ministry of Interior has presented statistics projecting the official foreign citizen population in Turkey to reach 1,107,032 by 2024. The highest numbers of residence recipients in Turkey are reported for citizens from Turkmenistan, Russia, and Iraq, respectively.
Simultaneously, the Turkish Immigration Department reports a notable portion of migrants detained in 2023 and early 2024 being Afghanistani citizens. Security forces detained 68,687 Afghanistani migrants in various regions of the country last year, with some being repatriated. This migration surge can be attributed to factors such as the fear of Taliban control in Afghanistan and its impact on regional and neighboring countries. However, despite the growing number of Afghanistani citizens seeking refuge, neighboring countries and the region have initiated forced deportations.
In essence, the Ministry of Interior’s announcement highlights the significant number of Afghanistani citizens granted legal residence in Turkey. Statistics from the Turkish Immigration Department underscore the rising trend of foreign citizens residing in the country, with projections indicating substantial growth by 2024. Nonetheless, the noteworthy presence of detained Afghanistani migrants reveals the challenges faced by both Turkey and neighboring countries in managing this influx.
