Erdogan: We host five million refugees and we can’t bear an additional migration burden
Turkey is already home to at least 5 million refugees and the country cannot bear an additional “migration burden” by taking in Afghans who worked for Western countries, President Erdogan told European Council chief during a telephone conversation yesterday according to what Anadolu Agency quoted the Turkish Presidency’s Communication Department as saying.
The Turkish president stressed the need to take the necessary measures in both Afghanistan and Iran to prevent a new wave of refugees.
The Turkish president called on the international community and the European Union to assume its responsibilities towards refugees and provide aid to Afghans in their land before their migration becomes a new tragedy.
Erdogan noted that if measures are not taken to prevent the influx of Afghan refugees, there will be an inevitable refugee wave.
It is worth noting that Turkey hosts about 3.65 million Syrian refugees, and about 1.5 million refugees of other nationalities, most notably Iraqis, in light of the escalation of calls by the opposition Turkish parties to deport the Syrians.
