UPDATE 2 - Over 210 undocumented migrants held in Turkey

UPDATES WITH MORE FIGURES

By Ozgun Tiran, Hakan Mehmet Sahin, and Burak Akay

KIRKLARELI, Turkey (AA) - A total of 210 undocumented migrants, who were attempting to illegally cross into Europe, have been held in northwest Turkey, according to security officials Wednesday.

42 migrants, including Afghans, Iraqis, Syrians and Pakistanis, were rounded up in two districts of the province of Kirklareli, one of the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to media, said.

The undocumented people were later taken to a provincial migration authority along with two others, who were allegedly organizers of the illegal border crossing bid.

Separately, some 129 undocumented migrants, including Iranians, Afghans, Pakistanis, Palestinians and Syrians, were also held during the police raid in the districts of Orhankoy, Bosnakoy and Ipsala in the northwestern province of Edirne.

In the northwestern Canakkale province, another 39 foreigners, including women and children, and three persons, who were allegedly organizing the illegal border crossing attempt, were held.

Migrants were trying to reach Europe through illegal means, another security official said.

In the last 10 years, Edirne has seen rise in migrants from Pakistan, Syria, Palestine, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Morocco, Iran and Iraq. In 2017 alone, 50,000 migrants and refugees from 50 different countries have been held by Turkish security units.

There has been 60 percent increase in migrant flow since 2016; the number was 31,000 in 2016.