AT first sight, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s record over the handling refugees fleeing carnage in Bashar Assad’s Syria is admirable. Turkey hosts more than 3.6 million refugees many of whom are housed in massive camps not far from the border with their homeland. The best of these camps, which the authorities have been eager to show off to media and visiting officials from around the world, are self-contained fully-serviced townships, with stores, workshops, schools, hospitals and perhaps most importantly, especially for children, psychological services to try and help them cope with the traumatic horrors they have experienced.

The greater part of this major relief effort has been funded by the international community. It would have been absurd to expect Syria’s neighbors, particularly Turkey and Jordan to shoulder by themselves the immense costs involved. But it is now clear that not all the camps are showcases. All are guarded by Turkish police and military. Originally Ankara said its major concern the regime in Damascus might seek to strike at its refugee citizens. However, it was clear from the outset that the guards were there to keep those in the camps from leaving. For sure Syrians were allowed out for neighborhood visits but no one was permitted to head elsewhere in Turkey without specific authorization.

More than eight years on from the start of Assad’s campaign to crush his own people, many Syrians refugees have had enough of camp life. Depression is widespread and still on the increase. Some inmates, who have lost all hope, have taken their own lives. It is therefore hardly surprising that there has been a steady trickle of Syrians, abandoning camp life and sneaking away to big conurbations. Istanbul of course has been the greatest draw. It is being estimated that there are now over a million Syrians in the city. However, according to the authorities, only half of these have been registered and given the right to be there.