EDIRNE, Turkey

Turkish security forces Wednesday held a total of 1,821 irregular migrants attempting to cross to Europe through the country’s northwestern Edirne province.

According to local sources, the provincial gendarme forces and police officers conducted operations against those seeking to go to Europe through illegal means.

Among the migrants held were people from Morocco, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

They were later referred to the provincial migration office for the official process.

Turkey's Edirne neighbors Greece and Bulgaria, therefore the irregular migrants who desire a life in Europe use the province as a transit road; however, security forces’ tight monitoring activities significantly prevent their entrance to the continent.

In 2018, some 268,000 irregular migrants were held in Turkey, according to the Interior Ministry.

*Writing by Burak Bir