250 Yezidis en route to Bulgaria sent back to Turkey's southeast

Around 250 Yezidis who left a refugee camp in the southeastern province of Diyarbak?r to go to Bulgaria have been sent to a camp in Mardin, another southeastern province, after they were caught close to a border gate in the country?s northwest.

The 250 had fled Sinjar in northern Iraq after the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) forces launched an attack in August 2014, were caught five kilometers away from Turkey?s border with Bulgaria in Edirne late June 27.

The group left the refugee camp, which was set up by the Diyarbak?r Metropolitan Mu-nicipality, to reach Bulgaria, on the other side of the country, after they claimed that Bul-garia was aware of their situation and would allow them entry.

The 25-hour-long journey to Edirne from Diyarbak?r started after more than 450 Yezidis left the camp in Diyarbak?r to go to the Kap?kule boarder gate in Edirne. 

Officials from Diyarbak?r Municipality and the camp attempted to convince the Yezidis to return to their camps as officers from the Bulgarian Embassy and the UNHCR had told them that the claims were not true, but to no avail. While the gendarmerie prevented some of the buses departing Diyarbak?r, five buses carrying around 250 Yezidis found their way out of the city and eventually reached Edirne.

The gendarmerie stopped the 250 Yezidis just five kilometers from the Kap?kule board gate and tried to convince them to return back. 

The Yezidis started a sit-in on the roadside and refused to return to Diyarbak?r. 

Edirne Gov. Dursun Ali ?ahin came to the area and convinced them to go to a refugee camp in the southeastern province of Mardin?s Nusaybin district, which is controlled by the Prime Ministry?s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority ...