2024-04-25 11:06:45
“Kurdistan” expels Syrian refugees to balance the labor market
The Kurdistan Regional Government (northern Iraq) is preparing to expel isolated Syrian refugees, and sources say it will hand them over to autonomous administration areas in northeastern Syria.
This is the second group of Syrian deportees, which will include 60 refugees, following previously deporting 40 others.
Kurdish sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the regional government has identified a category of “single” Syrians who work in liberal professions in the local market and has not renewed their residency, but human rights organizations The man reported that the decision did not target refugee families. but rather “individuals in conflict with it”.
They are expected to be deported to the autonomous administration areas of northeastern Syria via the Fish Khabur border crossing.
According to Kurdish statistics, tens of thousands of Syrians reside in the Kurdistan Region, mostly young people working in various professions, with the rest living in camps.
Erbil International Airport (AP)
Visa requirements
Rashid Ali, head of a local human rights organization, said: “The regional government has set conditions for refugees, including not granting visas to single people, but to families living in the region, their residence permits will be renewed for them. »
Ali continued, according to what was reported by the Arab World Agency: “So far, there is no decision to renew the residence permits of former residents.”
The human rights activist believes that the danger of expulsion exists when these people are returned to the center of (Syrian President Bashar) al-Assad’s regime, and that these are politicians who have defected from the ‘army. He said: “If they are. “”
Ali said: “The Kurdistan Regional Government will not expel any Syrian political refugees. Only 40 people will be deported, and they come from Syrian Roma families who were begging in the Kurdistan region despite repeated warnings from the government and their signing of the agreement. pledge not to practice begging, but they continued to do so.
Fadel Ezzat, a Syrian refugee who has lived in Erbil since 2014, said: “If all my papers are in order and I have no legal problems, I won’t be deported, and they haven’t informed anyone. »
However, Ezzat confirmed that “some time ago a decision was made to expel single Syrian refugees who entered Iraqi Kurdistan on a visit visa. It affected us because some of them came from Damascus.”
Kurdish sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the decision targets violators and does not include refugee families, and stressed that “the government is trying to balance the labor market and make room for local workers “.
Syrian refugees from Turkey return to Syria from the Bab al-Hawa crossing (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Expulsion from Baghdad
Kurdistan’s decision comes following a security campaign launched last month by Baghdad to pursue those who violate residency requirements. The Syrian Observatory reported from an official source at the Autonomous Administration’s Office of Arrivals and Crossings that Iraqi authorities have launched a campaign once morest Syrians. residing on its lands, and they were deported to areas and crossing points of the autonomous administration of northeastern Syria.
The “source” explained that the Immigration Office ensured the arrival of dozens of Syrian families and gave them the choice between remaining in the northeastern regions of Syria or ensuring safe passage to the points passing through other Syrian regions, whether in areas controlled by the regime. , or areas under the control of military factions loyal to Ankara.
However, the source refuted local media reports regarding the expulsion of Syrian families from the Hassakeh and Qamishli regions, and explained that “there is nothing new in the issue of immigrants from all over the world.” the Syrian regions towards the northeast of Syria; “Due to the availability of employment opportunities, basic services and humanitarian organizations working there. »
According to the Syrian Observatory, the Autonomous Administration has been issuing an expatriate card since 2017 to Syrians displaced outside its areas of control.
The card guarantees these families the survival of their areas of origin and does not differentiate or distinguish the displaced person from local residents of these areas, according to the Observatory.
The Information Department of the North and East Syria region issued a statement to public opinion, in which it confirmed the arrival of the first group expelled by the Iraqi state, in accordance with the decision to expel Syrian refugees in Iraq.
The statement denied the operations to expel people living in northern and eastern Syria, stressing that information circulating on social media sites constitutes “false and baseless propaganda and constitutes deliberate promotion aimed at fanning conflicts “.
1714049077
#Israeli #army #continues #raids #parts #Gaza #Strip
