Turkish asylum seekers in Germany surpass Afghans

The number of Turkish citizens seeking refuge in Germany has witnessed an astonishing 290% surge, with 5,544 individuals from Turkey applying for asylum in August alone. This unprecedented influx has catapulted Turkey into the second position for asylum applications in Germany, trailing only behind Syrian refugees.

The surge in asylum seekers arriving through irregular channels in Germany during August set a new record. According to official statistics from the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), a staggering 5,544 Turkish citizens filed asylum claims during the month. The majority of those arriving in Germany fell within the age range of 20 to 35.

It's worth noting that this count doesn't include those who managed to avoid detection or those who have gone into hiding within the country without filing an asylum request. With the latest figures, the total number of Turkish citizens seeking asylum in Germany, including those who have not registered in any refugee camp, has approached 100,000. Those who have arrived legally and found employment are not included in this figure.

According to reports in Turkey’s Sozcu newspaper, Turkish citizens now outnumber the combined total of asylum seekers from the top seven countries in the list of those who arrived in Germany through irregular means and sought asylum. Turkish citizens have now secured the second position in asylum applications, immediately following Syrians.

In the past two months, Turkey has been consistently breaking records in terms of irregular migration to Germany. Last month, for the first time, the number of asylum seekers from Turkey exceeded those from Afghanistan.

According to August's statistics, Germany received a total of 9,186 Syrian, 5,544 Turkish, and 4,217 Afghan asylum seekers. Turkish citizens secured the second position, while Afghan nationals held the third spot. The list also includes migrants from Iraq, Georgia, Iran, the Russian Federation, Somalia, Guinea, and Colombia.

Between January and August this year, the total number of Turkish citizens arriving irregularly and seeking asylum in Germany reached 29,661. In the same period last year, this number stood at 10,260. This increase represents a staggering 290% surge in irregular entries into Germany.

Moreover, the total number of asylum seekers in Germany during the first eight months of this year has crossed the 204,000 mark. Out of these applications, 175,000 have received responses, with some facing deportation or ongoing legal proceedings after receiving negative decisions.