12 killed after bus carrying migrants collapses in eastern Turkey

At least 12 people were killed and 20 others injured when a minibus carrying migrants overturned and caught fire in eastern Turkey.

Thousands of irregular migrants from Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, regularly cross the Iranian border into Turkey on foot before being ferried to the country’s westerns cities such as Istanbul and Ankara.

Historically, Turkey has been a country of origin, transit, and destination for migrants and was a crossroads between Europe and Asia.

Recent regional events have contributed to Turkey increasingly becoming a major destination and transit country for those fleeing conflict, poverty, and disasters.

Turkey hosts one of the largest migrant and refugee populations in the world. 

According to the official reports, 113,865 irregular migrants held across the country in 2020. (ILKHA)