Turkey has intensified its crackdown on illegal Afghan migrants amid growing security and law enforcement concerns, according to reports published by Afghan media outlet Afghanistan International.
Turkish authorities recently carried out operations in the provinces of Şırnak and Bayburt, where police detained 15 Afghan migrants along with six suspected human smugglers allegedly involved in illegal trafficking networks.
Read More: Seven children drown off Turkey coast as migrants try to reach Europe
According to the report, three Afghan nationals accused of facilitating unlawful border crossings in Bayburt were arrested during the operation. One suspect was later sent to jail following a court order, while investigations into the trafficking network remain ongoing.
Officials said all detained Afghan migrants were transferred to deportation centres, where the process for their repatriation to Afghanistan has already begun.
Turkey’s Directorate of Migration Management reiterated its strict policy against illegal migration, stating that unauthorized entry into the country would not be tolerated. Authorities said border surveillance, arrests, and deportation measures would continue as part of efforts to strengthen internal security and immigration control.
According to United Nations data cited in the report, Turkey has detained and deported around 13,500 Afghan asylum seekers so far this year under its zero-tolerance approach toward undocumented migration.
The issue of illegal migration has increasingly become a major political and security concern in several countries hosting large migrant populations. Analysts and security experts have warned that weak screening mechanisms for undocumented migrants could create risks that may be exploited by criminal or extremist groups.
Read More: 81 Pakistanis arrested in Macedonian trying to enter Europe illegally
At the same time, human rights organisations continue to urge governments to balance security measures with humanitarian responsibilities toward asylum seekers and refugees fleeing conflict and economic hardship.
Turkey, along with countries including Germany and Iran, has recently stepped up enforcement actions aimed at controlling undocumented migration and dismantling human smuggling networks operating across borders.