ISTANBUL – Videos posted on social media this weekend reportedly showed a stream of asylum seekers entering Turkey through its eastern border with Iran, raising concerns among local officials and humanitarian agencies. 

For years, Afghans, Pakistanis and asylum seekers from various other nations have made the irregular border crossing by foot in search of security and better work opportunities, usually making headlines only when hit by tragedy such as boat accidents in Lake Van or traffic incidents like one this Sunday that killed at least 12 migrants. 

Local news reports are now linking an alleged spike in border crossings to the ongoing US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and territorial gains by the Taliban in the country, prompting rumors of a looming migration wave to Turkey.

“It is too early to talk about a mass influx, but there is an increase in the number of arrivals and there are unconfirmed news stories about an accumulation of people on the Iranian side” seeking to cross into Turkey, Metin Corabatir, president of the Ankara-based Research Center on Asylum and Migration, told Al-Monitor. He added, “We have to observe what will happen in Afghanistan to see what comes next.”