Turkey has so far completed the construction of a 1,028-kilometer (639-mile) modular concrete wall on the riskiest part of its 2,949-kilometer eastern and southeastern borders to maximize its border security and prevent irregular migration.
The Interior Ministry informed Anadolu Agency (AA) that efforts to maximize border security as part of the country's battle against irregular migration continue amid the ongoing negative developments in Syria and Afghanistan in recent years.
Accordingly, 873 kilometers of the 911-kilometer border with Syria have been equipped with security walls. In addition, briquette houses were built at 248 different points in the Euphrates Shield Operation region in northern Syria with the support of humanitarian aid organizations to keep the war victims who fled from Syria in safe areas behind the borders.
Measures were also taken to the highest level to prevent the entry of those fleeing from Afghanistan and wishing to cross the Iranian border into Turkey illegally.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and senior Turkish officials have frequently pointed out that, "Turkey does not have any obligation whatsoever to be a safe haven for Afghan refugees," amid developments following the Taliban takeover of the rule in the country last year.
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 spike in migrants from Afghanistan, due to the United States' pullout from the country and the following Taliban victory.
U.S. President Joe Biden ordered the American military to withdraw from Afghanistan before Sept. 11, 2021, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attack on the U.S. by Taliban-backed al-Qaida. The Taliban declared the war in Afghanistan over after taking control of the presidential palace in Kabul. It took the Taliban just over a week to seize control of the country after a lightning sweep that ended in Kabul as government forces, trained for years and equipped by the U.S. and others at the cost of billions of dollars, melted away.
Turkey is continuing efforts to bolster the security of its border with Iran to prevent any new migrant wave in the face of the recent developments in Afghanistan. The beefed-up border measures in Turkey, which already hosts nearly 4 million Syrian refugees and is a staging post for many migrants trying to reach Europe, began as the Taliban started advancing in Afghanistan and took over Kabul last year.
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 to prevent a fresh influx of migrants.
Turkey has made it 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.
European Union and Western partners have said that Turkey would play a vital role in preventing the illegal crossing of irregular Afghan migrants into Europe.
As the Interior Ministry stated, in the section of the border with Iran that includes the provinces of Ağrı, Hakkari, Iğdır and Van, 191 kilometers of the security wall and patrol road construction, lighting, camera and thermal sensors installations have been completed. The construction of a 50-kilometer security wall and patrol road on the Hakkari and Van border line continues.
Lighting system works for border security have also been largely completed. Within this framework, the installation of 575 kilometers of lighting, 137 kilometers of energy transmission lines, and 101 kilometers of wire-fence/panel systems was completed. Work continues on the installation of lighting systems in the 37-kilometer section of the Kilis-Syrian border and the 30-kilometer section of the Gaziantep-Syria border.
With the camera and thermal sensor systems added to the 153-kilometer-long lighting system completed on the Ağrı, Ardahan, Hatay, Iğdır and Şanlıurfa border lines, the surveillance capability and capability of the border troops were increased. The installation of security systems consisting of lighting, cameras and thermal sensors continues on the 10-kilometer section of the Hatay-Syria border.
In addition to these, 82 armored reconnaissance surveillance vehicles to be used on Turkey's eastern borders and 57 armored reconnaissance vehicles to be used on the western borders were delivered to the border units.
With the active use of 211 watchtowers and 130 communication towers, the construction of which has been completed on the eastern and western borders, 740 kilometers of the 1182-kilometer eastern border and 350 kilometers of the 472-kilometer western border will be monitored uninterruptedly and effectively.
In this way, crimes such as illegal transit, terrorism and smuggling will be prevented. The installation work of electro-optical tower systems on the Turkey-Iran border line has come to an end.
With these works, modular concrete walls have been built and patrol roads have been established in the most dangerous 1,028-kilometer section of the 2,949-kilometer east and southeast borders, in order to maximize border security and prevent illegal immigration.
In order to increase security measures and patrol services in the regions beyond the border against the possibility of irregular migration originating from Afghanistan, 35 Police Special Operations (PÖH) teams consisting of 750 personnel were deployed in Van.
Some 500 new security guards were recruited by the Van Governorship to implement the security measures on the Van-Iran border and to combat terrorism and irregular migration.
By establishing the Coast Guard Command branch in Lake Van, high-level measures were taken against all kinds of illegal activities, including human/migrant smuggling, which can be carried out via boats, dinghies and other buoyant materials.
This year, approximately 145 kilometers of the modular security wall and patrol road construction will be completed from the Ağrı-Van border to the Kapıköy Border Gate.