War-weary Afghans pushed back by Greece recall ordeal

KARAMAN, Turkey

Afghan asylum seekers who were forcibly pushed back to Turkey by Greece under the pretext that they will be tested for the coronavirus recalled their ordeal.

Eight of the 13 Afghans who are now living with their relatives in Turkey's central province of Karaman told Anadolu Agency they were picked up by Greek officials from a refugee camp and put on a rubber boat to Turkish shores.

One of those asylum seekers is Abdul Rauf, who has a wife and two children.

Rauf said that he gave their life's savings to a human smuggler in Turkey's western province of Canakkale for a safe passage to Greek's Lesbos Island in the hopes of a better life.

However, he said, he encountered an unexpected situation when the Greek police took him from the camp on the island and put him on a boat, saying he has to get tested for the coronavirus.

He recalled the group of asylum seekers was beaten up when they refused to get on the boat.

"They took everything we had, including our IDs and money, jewelry."

Left to die

They were dragged into the sea and left to die, he said, adding his eight-month pregnant wife also pushed into the water and beaten.

Left with no one to turn to, they eventually made a call to Turkey from a mobile phone they had hidden with their child, he said.

"The Turkish Coast Guard saved us. The Turkish police welcomed us. They ordered food, gave us dry clothes. Later, we came to Karaman to our relatives. We are lucky to be alive."

Another asylum seeker, Destker Doliti, 18, said he thought his life would turn for the better when he landed on the Lesbos Island.

Doliti said that the police on the island welcomed them and took them to the refugee camp for registration. Later, an officer told them that they would be tested for COVID-19 and took them to a room.

Doliti said: "From time to time, Greek police would come and check on us and leave. They made us wait there for a long time."

The Greek police took their documents, belongings, and money by force, he added.

Then, they were put on a vehicle and taken to a beach -- where they were forced onto a boat.

They were beaten up for refusing to get on the boat, Doliti recalled. "My friend Abdul Rauf, his children, and his eight-month pregnant wife were there too. Greek police used violence against him as well. Greek police beat more women than men."

"My friend Abdul Rauf had hidden his phone on his baby's back," Doliti said.

- Help comes from Turkey

They asked for help when they reached the border with Turkey, he added. "The Coast Guard came and saved us. We came back to the Ayvacik district of Canakkale."

Next, they asked for help from their relatives in Karaman, Doliti said: "My relatives sent us money. We bought tickets with this money and eight people came to Karaman. We are staying with our relatives for now. Other friends stayed back in Canakkale."

On Sunday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said they rescued 52 asylum seekers on Feb. 23 and 24 who had been left on an islet in the Meric River by the Greek authorities.

"Interviews with the pushed-back persons have revealed that some of them were foreigners who came to Greece via Serbia and Bulgaria and were pushed back to our country," the ministry said in a statement.

In the last four years, more than 8,000 asylum seekers have been pushed back to Turkey, the statement added, calling on Greece to bring an end to this inhumane treatment and human rights violations.