Turkish police hold 96 illegal migrants, refugees

By Huseyin Yildiz and Cihan Demirci

HATAY/ EDIRNE, Turkey (AA) - At least 96 illegal migrants and refugees were held during police operations across the country, according to Turkish officials.

In southern Hatay province, police detained 83 Iraqis who crossed into Turkey from Syria illegally, a police source told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media. The migrants were held at an operation at a bus terminal in Kirikhan district.

In a separate operation in the northwestern border province of Edirne, police held 13 Syrian refugees as they were attempting to travel to Europe illegally, another official said.

Two suspects, including the driver of the vehicle carrying the refugees, were arrested for alleged human trafficking, the official added.

All of the migrants and refugees were referred to the migration management authorities.

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