June 20, 2018•Update: June 20, 2018
By Safak Yel
IZMIR, Turkey
At least 242 undocumented migrants have been held across Turkey, security sources said Wednesday.
A total of 160 undocumented migrants were held in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Dikili, Cesme, Seferihisar districts of Izmir province, the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.
Coast guard units carried out four separate operations to stop the migrants from attempting to cross the border into Greece illegally, the source said.
In another Aegean province of Aydin, gendarmerie held two Iranians in Kusadasi district when they were preparing for crossing into Greece illegally.
Separately, in northwestern Edirne province's Uzunkopru district, and in three towns as well, 60 undocumented migrants were held, according to gendarmerie.
The migrants came from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Syria, Iraq, Eritrea and Libya.
All the migrants were later referred to the provincial migration authorities.
Turkey has been a main route for refugees trying to cross into Europe, especially since 2011, the beginning of Syria's civil war.
Among migrants held in 2017 in Turkey, the majority came from Pakistan -- around 15,000 -- followed by Afghans at around 12,000. Syrians totaled about 10,000.
There has been a 60 percent increase in migrant flow since 2016. The number was 31,000 in 2016.
