Turkish authorities have taken into custody 67 people accused of going on a rampage after a Syrian national was accused of sexually harassing a 7-year-old female relative.
Outraged residents overturned cars and set shops ablaze in the central city of Kayseri on Sunday, demanding Syrians leave. According to The Associated Press, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attributed the violence to opposition parties advocating for refugee returns.
“No matter who they are, setting streets and people’s houses on fire is unacceptable,” Erdogan said.
When Syria’s civil war began in 2011, Turkey welcomed Syrian refugees, becoming the leading host of refugees worldwide.
As their numbers increased and Turkey faced economic challenges, Turkey witnessed a surge in anti-immigrant sentiment.
Turkey, home to approximately 3.6 million Syrian refugees, has experienced several incidents of xenophobic violence in recent years. These outbreaks frequently have been sparked by rumors circulating on social media and messaging apps.
In August 2021, groups of men attacked Syrian-owned businesses and homes in Ankara following a deadly brawl involving an 18-year-old man.
The status of Syrian refugees remains a contentious topic in Turkish politics, with Erdogan’s political rivals in last year’s election pledging to return them to Syria.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that Turkish civilians apprehended the Syrian national accused of harassing the girl and handed him over to police.
The girl, along with her siblings and mother, was placed under state protection to receive psychological support.
“Turkey is a state of law and order. Our security forces continue their fight against all crimes and criminals today, as they did yesterday,” Erdogan was quoted as saying.
Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.