A group of twelve young Afghan men and boys recently disclosed harrowing experiences to the BBC, claiming that Turkish border guards subjected them to severe abuse during an attempted passage to Europe. The migrants, all under the age of 25, stated that guards stripped them of their belongings, beat them with iron rods, and forced them into the freezing elements near the Iranian border. Temperatures in the Van region had plummeted to -15C, and the men reported that at least 20 others perished in the snow.
Eleven members of the group suffered such extreme frostbite that they required amputations after being repatriated to Afghanistan. Shahsawar, 21, recounted waking up in a Kabul hospital to find both his hands and legs removed. Another participant, 23-year-old Alawaldin, described being stripped and forced to crawl over harsh terrain while injured. While the Turkish foreign ministry did not address these specific claims, they asserted that their border forces adhere to national and international laws while providing medical and logistical aid to migrants.
Activists monitoring the region note that such reports of forced returns and mistreatment have become more frequent since 2021. Despite the severe humanitarian outcomes for those involved, Turkish officials maintain that their migration management strategies are effective, human-centered, and necessary to secure the nation’s borders against irregular transit.
