Turkish presidential candidate pledges to repatriate Syrians within 2 years

Turkish opposition presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu yesterday pledged to return refugees who fled the war in neighbouring Syria within the next two years if he wins the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.

“We will send our Syrian brothers and sisters to their country within two years at the latest,” Kilicdaroglu told a voter rally in the central Anatolian city of Eskisehir.

He did not explain how he will implement his ambitious plan.

Experts stressed earlier that it is illegal to force Syrian refugees, who have obtained temporary protection in Turkiye, to return to their homeland as many risk  an “unknown fate”, according to rights groups.

“What are the 3.6 million Syrians doing in our country?” Kilicdaroglu asked, referring to the rising unemployment in Turkiye.

Kilicdaroglu added that his other goal was to send Afghan refugees who entered Turkiye via Iran back to Iran.

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