140 irregular migrants held in Turkey's northwest

By Salih Baran and Ibrahim Uzun

EDIRNE/AYDIN, Turkey

Turkish security forces on Friday found at least 140 irregular migrants during operations in Turkey's northwestern provinces, security officials said.

At least 118 foreign nationals were attempting to cross the border into Greece and Bulgaria illegally. They were held in Edirne and Kirklareli provinces.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Anadolu Agency that Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Algerian, Moroccan and Syrian nationals were among those held.

Meanwhile, Turkish forces held 22 undocumented migrants in the western province of Aydin while they were attempting to sail across the Aegean Sea to Greece.

The held migrants were of Iraqi and Syrian nationalities, the security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

They were later transferred to a migration management authorities.

Turkey has been a main route for refugees trying to cross into Europe, since especially the beginning of the civil war in Syria.