Nearly 28,000 foreign nationals deported this year

ANKARA 

Nearly 28,000 foreign nationals have been deported in 2023 so far, the Interior Ministry’s Directorate of Migration Management has announced.

In a post on its Twitter account, the directorate elaborated that nearly 2,500 irregular migrants were caught, while more than 1,800 were deported between March 31 and April 6.

Since the beginning of this year, a total of 27,900 foreign nationals were deported, while deportation procedures of 18,200 continue, it added.

Türkiye has become one of the key transit points for migrants looking to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

The number of illegal migrants deported since 2016 surpassed 430,000. While the deportation success rate is around 11 percent in Europe, this figure reached 70 percent in Türkiye.

A total of more than 60,000 Afghan citizens were returned to their country last year, including more than 40,000 with charter flights and nearly 16,000 with scheduled flights. In addition, more than 11,000 Pakistanis were also deported.

Thanks to the security measures taken at the border gates, over 270,000 illegal migrants were prevented from entering the country in 2022.