Life in Turkey is becoming increasingly unbearable for many of the more than 3.7 million Syrians living in the country and some are now choosing to leave rather than continue to put up with racism, joblessness and exploitation.
“I didn’t steal the Turkish jobs. I didn’t harass anyone, I have sisters of my own,” Abbas, 34, a Syrian refugee who recently left Turkey for France said, referring to recent accusations of sexual assault against a number of Syrians.
“I didn’t occupy anyone’s house. But I’m accused of all of these charges. And eventually I was assaulted. But I didn’t even go to the police. It wouldn’t make a difference.”
Turkey has been hosting Syrian refugees since the outbreak of war in its southern neighbour in 2011, but skyrocketing inflation accompanied by the rapid depreciation of the Turkish lira has caused resentment and xenophobia against the refugees to rocket to new heights.
Read more: Middle East Eye
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