In brief
In January, a group of up to 50 undocumented Afghan migrants were seized near Van, Turkey, and subsequently beaten, stripped, and pushed toward the Iranian border under sub‑zero conditions. Eleven of the 12 men and boys who recounted the experience later lost limbs to frostbite, with one quadruple amputee, Shahsawar, going from detention to amputation before reaching Kabul. The Turkish Ministry claims the treatment complied with law, citing aid provision, but the migrants’ evidence contradicts this. Iranian officials later assisted the survivors with transport to Afghan hospitals, where surgeons amputated several hands and legs. The incident shows the lethal risks migrants endure while attempting to reach Europe.
In late‑January, a small group of Afghan youngsters attempted to cross from Iran into Turkey near Van, relying on smugglers to guide them across the rugged, snow‑covered border. The Turkish Border Police seized them, arranged straights of fighters to beat, strip, and bind them, and then pushed them into the freezing desert toward the Iranian frontier. The process, according to the migrants, involved days spent in a dim warehouse, bare‑footed in the snow, and received only meagre water and bread.
"They kept us for several nights in a warehouse, where snow was falling on us. And they gave us only water and dry bread once a day," said Alawaldin, 23. The brutality escalated on 25 January when the migrants were lined up again and beaten with iron bars, with some losing limbs to severe frostbite. One 21‑year‑old, Shanawar, arrived in a Kabul hospital with both hands and legs amputated, describing how his throat became so tight he could not speak.
During the incident, thirteen were missing and later found frozen, while others could barely walk or speak. Of the surviving group, most reached Afghanistan via the Red Crescent plane, where they received further medical care. At the Kabul clinic, surgical teams amputated parts of the affected volunteers. The remaining amputees have been left with disfiguring scars, and some still endure health complications due to delayed treatment.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry denied the allegations, describing them as "unfairly cast a shadow" on Turkey’s migration policy and asserting that border guards followed statutes and provided food, water and medical aid. Nonetheless, MIG migratory advocacy groups and Turkish-border‑rights specialists note a pattern of neglect and forced pushbacks since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. The Iranian authorities have not issued comment on accusations of a lack of medical assistance during the crossing.
The tragic journey of these Afghan youth underscores the peril that accompanies any attempt to reach the European Union, exposing a systemic issue in border violence, in-transit detention, and delayed health responses that could be fatal.
