I had to double-check, because at a first glance the draconian measures that Turkish Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu announced two days ago at the Migration Board Meeting in Ankara sounded too extreme to be true.

Syrians will now be banned from visiting relatives and family in northern Syria for the holiday of Eid Al-Adha.

Soylu said that Syrians in Türkiye who wish to cross the borders into Syria will receive only one-way permits. He also announced that from now on the background of all Syrians coming into Türkiye will be checked. Those coming from Damascus will be rejected and returned immediately.

The "Damascus is safe" rhetoric that started in Europe is now echoing in Türkiye.

As of 1 July, the share of foreigners in each Turkish neighborhood should not exceed 20% of total residents. This will effectively close 1,200 neighborhoods to new foreign residents, making finding a home a lot harder.

These new restrictions come as xenophobia and anti-refugee sentiments intensify in Türkiye amid deteriorating living standards.

Türkiye's presidential elections will take place a year from now, and immigration is a key issue on the table. Expect things to get only worse from here.