Mar 07, 2017

Iraqi Turkmen: Refugee Families Settle in Syrian Camps


Hundreds of Iraqi Turkmen families have been travelling from Tal Afar in northwestern Iraq towards the Syrian border with Turkey near Azaz, in the northern Aleppo countryside. These displaced families embarked on an extremely long, financially and psychologically strenuous journey, travelling hundreds of kilometres and crossing regions of Syria held by the so-called “Islamic State” in an attempt to reach Turkey. Due to the Turkish government’s restrictions on refugee flows, including the construction of an isolating wall between Turkey and Syria, most of these families have settled in nearby camps such as the Al-Shabiba camp near Azaz, known for having below average humanitarian conditions, or the Ikadeh camp. This last camp the Al-Monitor team was not allowed into, in order to not witness and consequently report on the appalling living conditions.

To access the article published by Al-Monitor, please click here.