More than 500 irregular migrants held in Turkey

ANKARA

At least 504 irregular migrants were held across Turkey, security sources said Tuesday.

In the northwestern province of Edirne bordering Greece and Bulgaria, 280 irregular migrants were detained by gendarmerie forces, said a security source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

In Canakkale, another northwestern province, gendarmerie forces rounded up 36 migrants while they were preparing to cross into Greece illegally.

Separately, in northwestern Kirklareli province, four migrants were held by security forces at the border with Bulgaria.

In central Kayseri province, 75 irregular migrants who entered Turkey illegally were held by gendarmerie forces.

Four people were also arrested and remanded in custody by a court over alleged human smuggling.

In eastern Bingol province, gendarmerie forces held 109 irregular migrants who entered Turkey illegally.

Four people were arrested for alleged human smuggling.

All of the migrants were later referred to provincial migration directorates.

Turkey has been the main route for refugees trying to cross to Europe, especially since 2011 when the Syrian civil war began.

Some 265,000 irregular migrants were held in Turkey in 2018, according to the Interior Ministry.

They were mostly Afghan, Pakistani, Syrian and Iraqi nationals.

* Writing by Busra Nur Bilgic