Turkey: 7 asylum seekers held in NW province

By Ozgun Tiran

KIRKLARELI, Turkey (AA) - Turkish security forces on Saturday held seven asylum seekers in the northwestern province of Kirklareli, close to the Bulgarian border.

Acting on a tip-off, gendarmerie forces held asylum seekers -- nationals of Palestine, Tunisia, and Syria -- in the Kizilcikdere district of Kirklareli.

The asylum seekers claimed that they were held and beaten in Bulgaria and later pushed back to Turkey by Bulgarian border police after their valuables were taken.

After routine procedures, the migrants were transferred to a repatriation center.

Turkey has been a key transit point for asylum seekers aiming to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.