VAN — Approximately 50 undocumented Afghan migrants were arrested in mid-January 2024 after crossing from Iran into the Turkish city of Van. The migrants reported beatings, forced labor, and push-backs in freezing conditions, stating they were stripped of clothing and forced through barbed wire. Temperatures in Van dropped to -15C at the time.

Shahsawar, a 21-year-old migrant, stated he was detained immediately upon entering Van. He said Turkish border guards lined up the migrants and beat them. "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," Shahsawar said.

Another migrant, Alawaldin, stated, "They forced us to do hard labour. We had to carry wood and clear snow." On January 25, the migrants reported they were beaten with iron bars by border guards. Shahsawar stated that some migrants sustained severe beatings, losing the use of their hands. Alawaldin detailed that migrants were stripped of their clothes and had their hands tied before being forced to crawl on their stomachs toward a hill. "Some people's heads were broken and blood was flowing over their shoulders," Alawaldin said.

The migrants described being stripped of their clothes, shoes, and socks, left with only trousers, and then pushed in groups of eight through barbed wire toward Iran. They reported that at least 20 individuals froze to death. Shahsawar stated that a migrant named Ahmed stopped breathing while sheltering with him, and the body of another migrant, Danial, was found in the snow after he became lost. A video posted in February showed 13-year-old Asim being found by other migrants, wet, frostbitten, and poorly dressed.

The migrants reported seeking assistance in Iran but were denied hospital treatment. On January 29, the Afghan embassy in Tehran stated it had initiated urgent steps to identify and aid Afghan migrants stranded at the Iran-Turkey border. On February 2, the Red Crescent Society transferred the migrants overland to Herat Province, Afghanistan. Subsequently, they were moved to Kabul for medical treatment.

Eleven of the 12 men and boys who spoke to reporters lost limbs due to frostbite. Shahsawar underwent amputation of both his hands and legs in a Kabul hospital. He recalled, "I raised my hands - they felt light. Both had been cut off. My throat closed up and I couldn't speak." Most of Alawaldin's toes were amputated. The group of migrants, all aged 25 or under, were returned to Afghanistan.

The Turkish foreign ministry stated that its border forces adhered to national and international laws. The ministry also asserted that detained undocumented migrants received necessary assistance, including food, water, and medical care, and described the allegations as unfounded. A representative for the Turkish foreign ministry stated, "Thanks to Turkey's effective measures and successful fight against irregular migration, irregular migration flows towards the European Union have been almost completely halted."