340 irregular migrants held in NW Turkey

By Hakan Mehmet Sahin

EDIRNE, Turkey (AA) - Turkish security forces held on Wednesday a total of 340 irregular migrants attempting to cross into Europe through the country’s northwestern Edirne province.

According to sources, the provincial gendarmerie forces and police officers conducted operations against those seeking to enter Europe illegally.

Among the migrants held were people from Algeria, Morocco, Syria, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. They were later transferred to provincial migration offices.

Turkey's Edirne province, which borders Greece and Bulgaria, is a key transit point for irregular migrants aiming to start new lives in Europe, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

But strict monitoring by security forces prevent them to cross to the continent.

In 2019, Turkish authorities held a record 454,662 irregular migrants across the country, with about 60,000 caught while traversing the Mediterranean Sea.

As many as 268,000 irregular migrants were held in Turkey in 2018, 175,000 each in 2017 and 2016, and 146,000 in 2015.

About 28,000 human traffickers have also been rounded up by the authorities in the past five years.

* Writing by Burak Bir from Ankara.