Major data theft in the wake of racist attacks: ID cards of Syrians in Turkey circulate on the Internet

A massive data theft has compromised the personal information of over three million Syrian refugees living in Turkey amid a wave of anti-Syrian violence.

The leak, which appeared on several Telegram channels, contained personal information such as names, addresses and phone numbers.

Violence escalated this week after allegations emerged that a seven-year-old Syrian girl was sexually assaulted in Kayseri on Sunday. The incident sparked retaliatory attacks against Syrians in several cities, resulting in widespread property damage and attacks. At the same time, Turkish trucks and soldiers were attacked in Turkish-controlled northern Syria.

Violent protests broke out in the Turkish-controlled northwestern regions of Syria, leading to clashes between armed demonstrators and Turkish forces in Afrin, leaving seven people dead and over 20 injured. In Antalya, 17-year-old Syrian Ahmet Handan El Naif was killed by a mob.

The Turkish Interior Ministry confirmed that the data leak involved identity data of Syrians under temporary protection. According to the ministry, the leaked information is no longer current. Authorities have launched an investigation to verify the date of the data and determine the origin of the leak.

Initial findings showed that the social media account responsible for sharing the information was managed by a 14-year-old named EP, who was subsequently arrested.

“This is a serious breach of privacy and security,” an official from the General Directorate of Migration Management told Turkish media. “We are determined to identify the source and prevent any further misuse of this data.”

The breach has heightened fears among Syrians in Turkey, who fear retaliation that could potentially force them to return to Syria or seek illegal routes into the EU.

The timing and scale of the break-in have raised suspicions of a political motive aimed at discrediting Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), has reportedly pressured President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to remove Yerlikaya from office.

Political scientist Erhan Keleşoğlu had previously suggested to the Turkish edition of Voice of America that the orchestrated nature of the attacks on the Syrians could be related to internal political unrest.

Keleşoğlu suggested that a possible rift between President Erdoğan and his far-right ally, the MHP, may have led to the recent outbreak of violence, as MHP members could potentially benefit from the unrest.

The timing and nature of the recent violence against Syrians, as well as the major data breach, raise questions about whether these events are part of a broader, orchestrated action by MHP circles.

The Interior Ministry’s Cybercrime Department is leading the investigation into this breach.

“We will catch and bring to justice those who want to create chaos and exploit children for their provocations,” a ministry spokesman told Turkish media.

Experts point out that there is an atmosphere of hostility towards refugees in Turkey, which is exacerbated by economic challenges and political rhetoric.

In a recent speech, President Erdoğan blamed the unrest on groups linked to terrorist organizations and promised to expose those responsible. “We will not give in to racist vandalism,” Erdoğan said.

Erdoğan said last Friday that a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to restore bilateral relations was possible. Turkey broke off relations with Syria after the Syrian civil war in 2011 and supported the rebels who wanted to overthrow Assad.

This latest data breach follows another major data theft uncovered by investigative journalist Cevheri Güven. He revealed in March that the personal data of over 101 million Turkish citizens, including deceased individuals, had been compromised. Güven’s investigation found that the security breach, which originated in the Ministry of Health’s Public Health Administration System, was exploited by organized crime gangs. These groups gained access to the data through criminal online marketplaces using officials’ security keys, exposing a serious and persistent vulnerability in Turkey’s data protection infrastructure.