250 undocumented migrants held in eastern Turkey

By Yunus Okur

ERZURUM, Turkey (AA) - At least 250 undocumented migrants were held in eastern Turkey on Thursday, a security source said.

Afghan and Pakistani migrants were rounded up after the police received a tip-off about a group of migrants walking around the bus terminal in eastern Erzurum province, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Following the legal procedure in police station, the migrants -- including old women and children -- will be taken to a repatriation center in Askale district, the source added.

Turkey has been a main route for refugees trying to cross into Europe, especially since the beginning of the civil war in Syria.

Among migrants held in 2017 in Turkey, the majority came from Pakistan -- around 15,000 -- followed by Afghans at around 12,000. Syrians totaled about 10,000.

There has been a 60 percent increase in migrant flow since 2016. The number was 31,000 in 2016.