With a rapid influx of Europe-bound migrants following the Assad regime’s targeting of civilians in North Syria, has Turkey’s refugee policy changed?
Turkey’s recent political decision-making does not reflect a change in the country's policy towards the migration and asylum, in as much as it reflects Ankara's reading of recent developments in northern Syria.
The perpetual silence of the international community and its evident inability to intervene to end the massacre has emboldened the Assad regime to continue spilling the blood of unarmed civilians in Idlib. More dangerously, some countries seem to believe that Turkey is the only one able to bear the humanitarian burden for the catastrophic consequences and loss of human life.
Turkey has been home to more than 3.7 million Syrian refugees, and over a million others from various nationalities, providing them with free public services, health care and gainful employment. In past years, it has exerted every effort to fully control its borders and counter the illegal smuggling of immigrants through its territories towards Europe.
In this, Turkey is reflecting its key conviction: to not impede the path of those wishing to cross into Europe from political as well as humanitarian grounds. In terms of politics, Ankara believes that the international community should shoulder its responsibilities, and do everything it can to prevent the tragedies that caused the displacement in the first place.
"Turkey's decision to open the doors to refugees is not a means to achieve gains or invest them, as much as it is a decision to carry responsibility for all those involved. The refugee issue and what is happening in Syria is a global international problem," says Yusuf Hatipoğlu, a Turkish political analyst.
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