Nearly 205 irregular migrants held in NW Turkey

By Cihan Demirci

EDIRNE, Turkey (AA) - At least 205 irregular migrants were held in northwestern Turkey, security sources said on Thursday.

In the northwestern province of Edirne -- bordering Greece and Bulgaria -- gendarmerie forces rounded up 205 irregular migrants, said a security source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The migrants -- Afghan, Pakistani, Syrian, Palestine, Somalia, Egypt, Algeria and Eritrea nationals -- were referred to provincial migration directorates.

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

More than 265,000 irregular migrants were held in Turkey in 2018, according to Turkey's Interior Ministry.