TURKEY: ISTANBUL: POLICE ARREST 15 IRAQI KURDISH REFUGEES

Описание: (13 Jan 1998) Natural Sound

In a special night time operation on Monday, Turkish police arrested more than 15 Iraqi Kurdish refugees.

The police raid was part of the government's continuing attempt to halt illegal immigration of Kurds, who are fleeing oppression in Northern Iraq.

Turkey has been accused of not dealing with the influx of Kurds in a constructive way, and being partly responsible for the flood of refugees into E-U countries.

Turkish authorities arrested more than 15 Iraqi Kurdish refugees in a special operation on Monday night, as part of their attempt to curb illegal emigration to Europe.

Armed police stormed a building where Kurdish refugees were staying, making a number of arrests.

The occupants of the house were found to be holders of Iraqi passports.

Police also arrested a man accused of smuggling Kurdish refugees.

This man was in command of the boat that was intercepted in Italian waters in early January, carrying hundreds of Kurdish asylum seekers.

Turkey is coming under increasing pressure from the European Union as floods of Kurdish refugees arrive in E-U member countries, especially Italy's southern coast.

Over the past two days, Turkey's police apprehended 131 people in Istanbul and in Edirne province, which borders Greece and Bulgaria, the official Anatolia news agency reported on Monday.

A Kurdish refugee advocacy group said on Monday that Turkey's inability and unwillingness to deal with its Kurds is to blame for the recent Kurdish exodus to Europe.

European governments have stepped up pressure on Turkey to stem the outflow of Kurds since two boat loads of Turks and Iraqis were caught off Italy's coast last month trying to immigrate.

In response, Turkish authorities have arrested thousands of foreigners - including Iraqi Kurds, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis - suspected of trying to sneak into western Europe.

Kurds, a major ethnic group straddling Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria, are estimated to number about 20 (m) million.

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