Some 270 irregular migrants held across Turkey

By Ferdi Uzun

ANKARA (AA) – At least 267 irregular migrants were held across Turkey, security sources said on Monday.

The Turkish Coast Guard got 49 irregular migrants from a rubber boat off the coast of Kusadasi in the Aegean Aydin province.

The migrants -- 31 Syrian and 18 Iraq nationals -- were reportedly trying to reach Greece by sea, said a security source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

In a separate operation, 51 irregular migrants were held by gendarmerie forces in Cesme in the Aegean province of Izmir.

Security forces found a rubber boat during the search.

In another operation in northwestern Edirne -- bordering Bulgaria and Greece -- gendarmerie forces held 167 irregular migrants.

All of the migrants were referred to provincial migration directorates.

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 in 2018, according to the Interior Ministry.