of the Islamist party. One recent opinion poll claimed more than three-quarters of Turks want the Syrians to
leave. Another said a mere 7 per cent were happy with their presence.
But forcing hundreds of thousands of refugees back into Syria carries a bigger risk for Erdogan. It could
prove that Syria now, under president Bashar al-Assad, is a safe place. Keeping the refugees in Turkey
maintains Erdogan’s policy of depriving Assad of any legitimacy.
Is Syria really safe?
Some areas have been deemed safe. Last year, more than 80,000 refugees visited their families in Syria to
celebrate Eid al-Fitr and returned to Turkey. Turkey controls vast areas in northwestern Syria; some
Turkish nationalists want the refugees to be sent back to designated camps in these areas. But keeping
Syrian refugees in Turkey allows Erdogan to proceed with his plan to invade and occupy more parts of
northern Syria. Syrian refugees find themselves at the heart of a geopolitical game. Whoever wins will
decide their fate.