On Tuesday a group of around 100 Syrian refugees who had been taken into custody by order of the Governor of Istanbul for "volunteerism" propaganda was transferred to Turkey-occupied Afrin.

Approximately 100 of those Syrians arrested in Istanbul and given a deportation order by the Istanbul Governor were sent to Afrin by order of the Turkish Interior Ministry.

According to information obtained, the Syrians reached Afrin on Tuesday afternoon. It is stated that there are Kurds among the Syrians who were brought to Afrin in four vehicles.

On 22 July the Governorate of Istanbul gave a deadline of 20 August for Syrians who did not register in the city to leave Istanbul.

The decision was taken in line with the new instructions of the Turkish Interior Ministry which announced that the Syrians in question will be deported to the provinces where they are registered.

Since the beginning of the Syrian war, Turkey has used refugees as a tool to blackmail Europe, but these latest measures are indeed remarkable.

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said that 80,000 refugees will be deported this year. Soylu said in what sounded as a threat to Europe: "If we open the doors no government will last more the 6  months".

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced that the admission agreement with the European Union was suspended at the same time of the decision by the Istanbul Governorate.