UPDATE - Nearly 400 undocumented migrants held in Turkey

UPDATES WITH MIGRANTS HELD IN EASTERN TURKEY, ADDS TURKISH MILITARY STATEMENT

By Sezgin Pancar

MERSIN, Turkey (AA) - At least 397 undocumented migrants, including women and children, were held in south and eastern Turkey, security sources said Sunday.

Turkish Coast Guards detained 165 Syrians traveling in a boat in the Mediterranean Sea, said the sources who refused to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

They included 63 children and 30 women.

Following their interrogation, the coast guards detained 27 other foreigners.

A van driver suspected of human smuggling was arrested, as well.

In the eastern Erzurum province, police detained 205 Afghan and Pakistani nationals.

The undocumented migrants had entered Turkey illegaly from Iran, a security source said.

Separately, the Turkish General Staff said in a statement on Sunday that a total of 696 undocumented migrants were held across the country during operations carried out on Saturday

Border security units detained 623 migrants who were trying to cross into Turkey from Syria, the statement said, adding that another 14 migrants, who were trying to cross into Turkey from Iran, had been rounded up.

Moreover, 49 people who were trying to cross into Greece from Turkey were held by the Turkish army, while another 10 were arrested during their attempt to cross into Turkey from Greece, the statement said.

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