Twelve young Afghans have described severe suffering after attempting to reach Europe through Turkey in January. They say they were among a group of about fifty migrants detained near the Turkish border, where they were allegedly beaten, stripped of warm clothing and forced back towards Iran in freezing conditions. The group claims that at least twenty people died from exposure, while eleven of those who later spoke to the BBC suffered such severe frostbite that they lost limbs. One survivor, who was 21 at the time, awoke in a Kabul hospital to discover both his hands and both legs had been amputated. The migrants also allege they were denied timely medical treatment after reaching Iran before eventually being transferred to Afghanistan for care. Turkish authorities deny the allegations, stating that border officials act in accordance with national and international law and provide necessary assistance to undocumented migrants.