More than 570 undocumented migrants held in Turkey

ANKARA (AA) - At least 578 undocumented migrants were held across Turkey, security officials said Monday.

Border troops held 62 Syrians in the southern province of Hatay --which lies on the border with Syria-- as they were attempting to illegally cross into Turkey, said an official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

In Baskale district of the eastern province of Van, gendarmes caught 34 Afghans traveling in a van after having entered the country illegally, another source said.

Separately, in the northwestern province of Edirne -- bordering Bulgaria and Greece-- border troops and gendarmes held 482 migrants who were attempting to travel to Europe illegally.

The migrants were Palestinian, Pakistani, Afghan, Bangladeshi, Iraqi and Syrian nationals, a security source said.

All the migrants, including women and children, were referred to provincial migration authorities.

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

*Erdal Turkoglu from Hatay, Necat Hazar from Van and Hakan Mehmet Sahin from Edirne contributed to this story.