UPDATE - Over 140 undocumented migrants held in western Turkey
Migrants in Canakkale stopped from crossing into Greece’s Lesbos Island using illegal route
UPDATES WITH MORE MIGRANTS CAUGHT
By Hanife Erdinc and Mehmet Yavas
CANAKKALE, Turkey (AA) - At least 141 undocumented migrants have been held in western Turkey, according to a security source Wednesday.
The migrants, including women and children, on an inflatable boat were rounded up off Canakkale province's Ayvacik district.
The migrants -- among them Afghans, Iranians and Moroccans -- were attempting to cross into Greece’s Lesbos Island using an illegal route, the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, added.
Thirty more undocumented migrants were held by Turkish police in the northwestern province of Tekirdag while they were attempting to illegally cross the Turkish border, said a source.
The migrants were all Pakistani nationals, the source added.
The migrants were sent to the migration authorities in the province for legal proceedings of their deportation.
Turkey has been a main route for refugees trying to cross into Europe, especially since 2011 when the Syrian civil war began.
Among the migrants held in 2017 in Turkey, the majority came from Pakistan -- around 15,000 -- followed by Afghans at around 12,000. Syrians totaled about 10,000. There has been a 60 percent increase in migrant flow since 2016. The number was 31,000 in 2016.
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