‘Nearly 70,000 irregular migrants deported’

ANKARA

The number of irregular migrants deported from Türkiye in 2022 has soared to nearly 70,000 and increased by 142 percent compared to the same period of 2021, Directorate General of Migration Management has announced.

“Since the beginning of this year, 69,692 irregular migrants, 41,492 from Afghanistan and 7,772 from Pakistan, were safely sent back to their countries,” the directorate said in a written statement.

The number of irregular migrants deported since 2016 has reached 395,201, while the deportations increased by 142 percent compared to the same period of the previous year, according to the officials.

“Some 17,054 migrants from 91 different nationalities are under administrative detention in our removal centers, and their deportation proceedings continue,” the directorate added.

The authority also pointed out that voluntary repatriation processes continue as 517,289 Syrians have returned to their country to date.