450 undocumented migrants held across Turkey

By Hakan Mehmet Sahin, Nur Ozcan and Necat Hazar

EDIRNE/CANAKKALE/VAN, Turkey (AA) - A total of 450 undocumented migrants were held across Turkey on Thursday, according to security sources.

In the northwestern province of Edirne, 102 migrants were rounded up in Yenikadin, Orhaniye, Bosnakoy and Meric districts, said the coast guard sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The migrants were from Egypt, Iraq, Libya, Somalia and Pakistan.

In the northwestern port city of Canakkale, 39 in a sinking rubber boat were rescued by the Turkish coast guards.

Separately, 302 undocumented migrants -- including Afghan, Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals -- were rounded up in Ipekyolu district of eastern Van province after they attempted to illegally enter Turkey, the sources said.

Turkey has been a main route for refugees trying to cross into Europe, especially since 2011 when the Syrian civil war began.

Among the 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.