Turkey: 72 irregular migrants held across country

By Ramazan Kaya and Ferdi Uzun

ANKARA (AA) - At least 72 irregular migrants were held across Turkey on Tuesday, according to multiple security sources.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said 21 Palestinians were detained by the coast guard from a boat off the coast of western Aydin province.

In central Kayseri province, 22 migrants were held by gendarmerie forces, according to a statement from the provincial governor's office.

Twenty of the migrants were Afghan nationals while one was Bangladeshi and the other an Iranian.

Separately, in eastern Van province, 15 migrants were detained, comprising Afghans, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis.

The coast guard detained nine Iraqi and Palestinian irregular migrants from a boat off the coast of western Mugla province.

In western Tekirdag province, five irregular migrants attempting to illegally cross into Europe were detained when gendarmerie forces stopped a suspicious car.

The driver was also arrested, the sources said.

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

Some 268,000 irregular migrants were held in Turkey in 2018, according to the Interior Ministry.

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