ANKARA: While calling on other European countries to take responsibility for Afghans fleeing the Taliban, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara has no obligation to be a “Europe refugee warehouse”.
Erdogan’s remarks come as desperate Afghans attempt to leave the Taliban-led country. Thousands have flocked to Kabul airport in a bid to flee and now find themselves trapped without any means to escape. “Europe, which has become the centre of attraction for millions of people, cannot stay out of this problem by closing its borders just to protect the welfare of its citizens. With this attitude, Europe is turning its back on human values,” CNN quoted Erdogan as saying.
Erdogan said that about half of the “irregular” migrants Turkey has registered in the last three years are from Afghanistan.
Turkey hosts around 5 million foreign nationals — including 3.6 million Syrians and 300,000 Afghans, said Erdogan.