ANKARA
Halit Gulsen
Many people including Circassians are fleeing Syria due to internal conflict between the Assad regime and the opposition ongoing for two years.
Approximately 130 thousand Circassians live in Hama, Homs, Aleppo and Damascus provinces of Syria. However,they are in search of ways to return to their homeland of Caucasia as the conflicts have intensified. Having applied to the Russian administration and made various diplomatic attempts, they failed to receive a positive response from Moscow yet.
President of the Federation of the Caucasian Associations (KAFFED) Vacit Kadioglu assessed the situation of the Circassians that made it to their homeland from Syria and are in Turkey for now.
Kadioglu told Anadolu Agency 400 Circassians that had to flee Syria had returned to their homeland Kabardino-Balkaria, 220 to Adygea and 40 to Karachay–Cherkess.
He added that there were 700 Syrian Circassians who have sought refuge in Turkey and they were mainly living with their relatives or in the houses rented by KAFFED in Turkish provinces of Adana, Gaziantep, Kayseri, Tokat, Duzce and Balikesir.
Stating that the biggest obstacle facing the people of Circassian origin was the attitude of Russia, Kadioglu said, "The people were deported from their country in 1864, they are not tourists. At the moment there is war in Syria and this is a serious situation. Russia should implement the current repatriation law regarding the ethnic groups to open the way for Circassians to return to their homeland unconditionally."
Stating the main aim of 700 Syrian Circassians was to "return to their homeland", Kadioglu reminded that Lebanon and Jordan have closed their borders and said, "the only place they could find refuge in is with their brothers and sisters in Turkey."
