Operation against refugees in Van

299 refugees were detained in Turkey’s eastern province of Van in a week. An investigation has been launched against 15 suspects for “human smuggling”. According to the UN, 515 thousand people may migrate from Afghanistan by the end of this year.

İstanbul

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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299 refugees have been detained in Van in the last week.

According to a statement released by the Van Provincial Security Directorate, as part of the operation against the human smugglers across the eastern province, the teams of the Department of Fighting Migrant Smuggling and Border Gates are carrying out works within this scope.

As part of these works from September 6 to 12, the teams detained 299 refugees and took a legal action against 15 suspects for "human smuggling."

UN says over half a million may migrate this year

Shabia Mantoo, a Spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 550 thousand people in total have been displaced in Afghanistan since early January. The total number of the displaced in Afghanistan is reportedly 2.9 million.

In a statement released by the UNHCR center in Geneva, 515 thousand people might migrate from Afghanistan by the end of this year.

The neighboring countries of Afghanistan have so far received 5 million 200 refugees from Afghanistan due to ongoing war and crises.

90 percent of the refugees are estimated to be in Pakistan and Iran while 10 percent are estimated to be in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. (AS/SD)