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Afghans accuse Iranian forces of abuse before being released at Turkey border

July 28, 2021 at 10:01 pm

A woman reacts on the beach after a dinghy with 54 Afghan refugees landed ashore the Greek island of Lesbos on February 28, 2020 [ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images]

Some Afghan irregular migrants have alleged that they were beaten in custody by Iranian soldiers before being released at the Turkish border, Anadolu Agency reported.

Gulab Jemili, an Afghan who illegally entered Turkey’s eastern Van province, said he along with others migrated to Iran due to armed conflict in their country. But they were apprehended and subjected to ill-treatment by Iranian soldiers.

Hundreds of irregular Afghan, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi migrants arrive in Turkey illegally via Iran, either in vehicles or on foot across long distances. During their perilous journey to Europe in search of a better life, they communicate with one another using smartphone applications.

However, the majority of them are entrapped by criminals along the road, with some losing their lives and others being detained in Turkey, according to these irregular migrants.

Talking to Anadolu Agency on Tuesday, Jemili alleged that the Iranian soldiers tortured all of the detainees and killed some of his companions before throwing them at the Turkish border after stealing their clothes and money.

MEMO in conversation with: Sangar Paykhar

However, his claim was not independently verified.

“After crossing to Turkey, we fell into the hands of human smugglers, they took $1,000 from us. We traveled by foot to some locations and by vehicle to others. The smugglers sent us locations, and we have to navigate our way through these,” he stated.

Jemili said they were on the road for over one and a half months.

“Everyone is devastated… We’re at a loss on what to do. In Afghanistan, there is a war. Our schools are bombed. If we stay and fight, we won’t know against whom we’ll be fighting; brothers are killing one another. We were forced to travel to Iran, but they beat us up and told us that this was not our country and that we should go to Turkey instead “he said.