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Turkey Kills Syrian Refugees Crossing Border Illegally

REUTERS/Marko Djurica

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Jacob Bojesson Foreign Correspondent
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Turkish troops are reportedly killing Syrian refugees caught crossing the border illegally, British daily newspaper The Times reports.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has registered 16 cases of migrants getting killed over the past four months. Syrian smugglers and police officers interviewed by The Times say the actual number is much higher.

Turkish guards have gone from “carrying their bags” to either detaining or killing the refugees, according to one smuggler. The “lucky ones,” the smuggler said, are those who end up on the Turkish side after getting shot. They are allowed to stay in Turkey after receiving medical treatment in the country. Refugees who die are dragged back and buried in the Syrian war zone.

Turkey is currently home to 2.7 million Syrian refugees who hope to reach Europe. The European Union struck a deal with Turkey in March to stop migrants from arriving by sea from Turkey to Greece. Turkey agreed to take back these refugees and send legal ones to the EU in exchange. (RELATED: Turkey Blackmails EU Into Refugee Deal)

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