Turkey does not have the capacity to host more migrants and refugees and the country is not a migrant camp, ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesperson Ömer Çelik said Monday, as hundreds of thousands of Afghans try to flee the country after the Taliban took over.
Speaking after a party meeting in the capital Ankara, Çelik called some remarks by foreign leaders to provide financial aid to Turkey in return for accepting migrants “disrespectful.”
“Turkey does not have the capacity to accept one more refugee,” Çelik said, adding that the country has control over its borders and all comments suggesting to pile up migrants here are “null and void.”
The party spokesperson continued by saying that the rise in anti-migrant rhetoric by opposition parties in Turkey threatens peace and fuels racism.
Noting that it is crucial to not leave the Afghan people alone, Çelik said Turkey will closely watch whether a system embracing different religious groups is established in Afghanistan and if the new administration respects human rights and women’s rights.
“International obligations need to be fulfilled to ensure that a bigger tragedy does not take place here,” Çelik said.
Turkey has been a key transit point for asylum-seekers attempting to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.
Concerns have risen over a possible spike in refugees from Afghanistan due to the U.S. pullout from the country after two decades and the following surge of Taliban attacks.
Turkey has deployed additional reinforcements to its eastern border with Iran and new measures are expected to be applied. Border security will be supported by technological systems.
Turkey has made clear that it will not bear the burden of the migration crises experienced as a result of the decisions of third countries.
Turkey hosts nearly 4 million refugees – more than any country in the world. After the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011, Turkey adopted an “open-door policy” for people fleeing the conflict, granting them “temporary protection” status.
Afghans are believed to be the second-largest refugee community in Turkey after Syrians. Many of the migrants arriving via Iran are heading for Istanbul to find work or passage to another coastal city from which to embark for Europe.
