From Legal EU Resident to Outlaw in Turkey: More Syrians Flee Germany–Report

Germany has been puzzled with the growing number of Syrian refugees who were granted asylum there but reportedly travel back to Turkey illegally rather than staying in the EU.

The increase in cases of the “reversed escape” of Syrian refugees with residence permit has been reported by the north German broadcaster NDR. In their investigation, many Syrians named difficulties with family reunions in Germany as one of the main reasons for their leaving the European Union despite holding a valid residence permit.

From Facebook to Turkey

The “reverse escapees” usually freely travel within the Schengen zone to Greece, then call on the services of smugglers to cross the border between Greece and Turkey, because they lack a Turkish entry visa. Assistance with the risky travel can be found in special groups in Facebook, where ‘coyotes’ ask appr. $250 per capita for their job. According to the report, one of them claims that he brings more people to Turkey than back to the EU. Another smuggler reported that he takes 50 escapees each day. The journey, which includes crossing a river border, can be dangerous: several incidents and deaths along the route have been reported.