14 irregular migrants held in NW Turkey

By Ozgun Tiran

KIRKLARELI, Turkey (AA) - Some 14 irregular migrants were held in northwestern Turkey, security sources said on Friday.

The local gendarmerie caught two separate groups in the Kirklareli province, near the border with Bulgaria, preparing to illegally cross into Europe, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

All the migrants were Pakistani nationals.

In recent years, Turkey has been a main route for irregular migrants trying to cross to Europe, especially since 2011, the start of the Syrian civil war.

Over 265,000 irregular migrants were held in Turkey last year, according to the Interior Ministry.