Nearly 110 irregular migrants held across Turkey

By Ilker Gurel

ANKARA (AA) - At least 109 irregular migrants were held across Turkey, security sources said on Monday.

Some 35 irregular migrants were held in the northwestern province of Edirne bordering Greece and Bulgaria, security sources said asking not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Two alleged human smugglers were arrested by local authorities.

In another operation, 32 migrants in a rubber boat were held by the Turkish Coast Guard in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Canakkale province in Northwestern Turkey.

In the northwestern Yalova province, gendarmerie forces rounded up an additional 20 irregular migrants during routine patrols.

In the eastern Bitlis province, gendarmerie forces conducting regular patrols held 22 irregular migrants during regular patrols.

All the migrants were referred to provincial migration directorates.

Turkey has been a main route for irregular migrants trying to cross to Europe, especially since 2011, the start of the Syrian civil war.

Over 265,000 irregular migrants were held in Turkey in 2018, according to the country’s Interior Ministry.

The irregular migrants were mostly Afghan, Pakistani, Syrian and Iraqi nationals.