TTensions between angry Turkish groups and Syrian refugees living in Turkey reached a boiling point this week, forcing Turkey to close its main border crossing into northwest Syria.
The Bab al Hawa border crossing, the main trade and passenger transport channel for more than 3 million people, as well as Bab al Salam and other smaller border crossings are closed until further notice.
Since Sunday, Reuters reported At least 474 people have been arrested by Turkish police over targeted attacks in which Turkish men vandalized and set fire to cars and properties owned by Syrians in Turkey. Seven people are believed to have died as a result of the attacks, according to figures cited by Reuters. Skirmishes broke out in the city of Kayseri on Sunday after allegations that a Syrian man sexually assaulted a young girl began circulating online. Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the incident was under investigation.
The border closure was ordered on Tuesday after Syrians clashed with Turkish soldiers among them across the border in northern Syria, emboldened by violence against their community in Turkey.
The violence spread to several other provinces, including Hatay, Gaziantep, Konya and Bursa.
We will achieve nothing by fueling xenophobia and hatred against refugees in society, Turkish President Recep Tayyip says Erdogan told mayors He also accused opposition forces of stoking the violence, which is exacerbating bilateral tensions between the neighbouring countries.
Here's what you need to know about current relations between Turkey and Syria.
How have the attacks shaped relations between Turkey and Syria?
Relations between Turks and Syrians are deteriorating. Syrian refugees are living in fear and uncertainty, Mer zkizilcik, a nonresident fellow with the Syria Project in the Atlantic Council’s Middle East programs, tells TIME.
“There is a well-organized group of people with criminal records who have formed a lynch mob using WhatsApp and Telegram,” Zkizilcik said of the arrested Turkish citizens. Many of those arrested have criminal records, including sexual assault and migrant smuggling.
The increase in cases of violence has revealed the turning point in public solidarity with Syrian refugees in Turkey. The country is home to some 3.6 million Syrian refugees, pushed across the border by the Syrian civil war that began in 2011. At the time, Turkey opened its borders to those fleeing the Syrian army and backed rebels whose goal was to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
How does Turkish society perceive the refugee crisis?
Turkey currently maintains a military presence along the border in northern Syria, where Turkish soldiers and Syrian rebels have created so-called safe zones for refugees wishing to return to Syria. But few have done so, preferring to integrate into daily life in Turkey. This, in turn, has sparked resentment among some Turks who have faced inflation rate soaring since the economic crisis that began in 2018.
Since Refugee deal with EUTurkish public opinion has turned against Syrian refugees. Many Turks feel burdened by hosting refugees and see Turkey as a refugee dumping ground for Europe, Zkizilcik says. He says Turkey’s opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has led the public to believe that Syrian refugees will return to Syria, but that Erdogan is the obstacle to that return.
As a result, most Turks believe that Syrians are in Turkey by choice, not necessity. This has created a sense of burden, especially given Turkey's rampant inflation, Zkizilcik adds.
How will anti-Syrian attacks shape Turkey-Syria relations?
Last Wednesday, President Assad indicated that he was open to negotiations with Ankara, marking a shift in the Syrian government, which often insists on preconditions for any dialogue with Turkey. Assad did not set the usual preconditions this time, notably the complete withdrawal of Turkish forces from northern Syria. Erdogan has also said that after 13 years of strained relations, he sees no reason to prevent the restoration of diplomatic ties with Syria. But this week’s outbreaks of violence could hamper the process. resumption of relations between Turkey and Syria.
On Wednesday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement on its policy towards Syria, following criticism that recent incidents suggest a collapse of Turkish Middle East policy.
Since the beginning of the crisis in Syria, which has turned into a humanitarian tragedy, Turkey has adopted a principled stance. While reviewing its foreign policy in line with the requirements of national interests, Turkey does not hesitate to take necessary measures to counter threats to its national security, the statement said.
Ultimately, Zkizilcik argues that if the Turkish government does not address the rise in xenophobic rhetoric, while adopting a coordinated strategy for the return of some Syrian refugees and the integration of others in Turkey, we can expect more unrest.
