Over 1,250 undocumented migrants held across Turkey

By Yunus Okur and Ramazan Ercan

ERZURUM/IZMIR, Turkey (AA) - At least 1,250 undocumented migrants, including women and children have been held during anti-human trafficking operations across Turkey, according to officials on Tuesday.

In eastern Erzurum province, nearly 1,000 migrants, including Pakistanis and Afghans, who had reportedly crossed into the Turkish border from Iran, were held.

Separately, coast guard teams found 145 migrants off the coasts of Izmir province’s Cesme, Menderes, and Dikili districts, while 62 were held in Balikesir’s Ayvalik district.

Gendarme units also arrested 64 migrants in Izmir’s Menderes and Cesme districts.

All of the migrants, who were reportedly trying to cross from Turkey to Greece, were taken to the regional immigration department.

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 totalled about 10,000.

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