Data shows rise of mass migration from Turkey

Data shows rise of mass migration from Turkey
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In the first seven months of 2022, more attempts by Turkish citizens to cross into Europe have been detected than any other entire year before.

Unusually high number of people from Turkey have left their country to settle abroad in 2022, according to data provided by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex and Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.

A record number of 8,640 illegal border crossing attempts by Turkish citizens into Europe were detected between January and August, which is already higher than the 8,412 attempts in 2018, and the 7,880 in 2019.

Nearly 16,000 Turkish citizens sought asylum in Germany between January and October, which is another record. Turkish asylum seekers are ranked third, behind Syrians and Afghans, but ahead of Iraqis.

The total number of Turkish asylum seekers for the European Union as a whole has been nearly 20,000 in the first seven months of 2022.

Europe is not the only destination. Over 15,000 Turkish citizens have been intercepted so far in 2022 at the Mexico-US border, and there is also a substantial number of Turkish citizens among asylum seekers who have entered Canada illegally, Radio Canada said.

The rise of authoritarianism in Turkey, the devaluation of the Turkish local currency and high inflation - which has led to millions of people falling below the poverty line in a single year - and the rising political tensions ahead of the coming elections are the factors behind the unprecedented mass migration, according to Radio Canada.