![Syrian refugees run away as Turkish soldiers use water cannon to move them away from fences along the Turkish border. [AFP/Bulent Kilic]](/sites/default/files/styles/d08_standard/public/im/Turkey_2017/Syrianrefugees_waterhose.jpg?itok=TUrhv3mQ "Syrian refugees run away as Turkish soldiers use water cannon to move them away from fences along the Turkish border. [AFP/Bulent Kilic]")
A picture of a beaten Syrian refugee, literally under the foot of his Turkish employer, has been making its rounds on the internet.
Man beats #Syrian refugee employee for being late to work, posts photo on social media: 'The revenge of the Turk from the Syrian' #Turkey pic.twitter.com/V11s8bEDZO
— CoupNews Turkey (@coupdetatturkey) February 20, 2017
The sadistic selfie was taken after the employer claimed he had beaten the Syrian for being late to work.This grim snapshot of a day in the life of some Syrians in Turkey sheds light on the growing resentment of the Turks to the roughly two and a half million Syrians currently living in Turkey. According to the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, there are an estimated 250,000-400,000 Syrians working illegally in Turkey as of February 2016, making them vulnerable to abuse from employers.
The worst refugee crisis of the century has placed a considerable burden on the host countries bordering Syria, with Turkey bearing the brunt of the influx of people fleeing war and destruction. An unfortunate side effect of the huge number of Syrians currently seeking refuge in Turkey, apart from the huge infrastructural burden on the country, is the emergence of disdain and spite towards them.
LM
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