UPDATE - Over 90 undocumented migrants held in Turkey

ADDS MORE OPERATIONS

By Seyhan Kirici, Mehmet Yavas, and Burak Akay

BALIKESIR, Turkey (AA) - Security forces on Friday held a total of 91 undocumented migrants across Turkey, officials said.

In the northwestern Canakkale province, gendarmerie forces rounded up 26 Syrians, Afghans, Iranians, and South Africans in the village of Korubasi, Ayvacik, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Separately, also in Canakkale, 23 more undocumented migrants trying to cross into Greece’s island of Lesbos were held in the Ayvacik district, the sources said.

In the northwestern Balikesir province, 42 undocumented migrants who were planning to cross into Europe through Turkey were held in Altieylul, according to a statement by the governor's office.

Among migrants held last year in Turkey, the majority came from Pakistan -- around 15,000 -- followed by Afghans at around 12,000. Syrians totalled about 10,000.

Since 2016, there has been a 60 percent increase in migrant flow in Turkey. The number was 31,000 in 2016.