More than 750 irregular migrants held across Turkey

EDIRNE, Turkey

At least 757 irregular migrants were held across Turkey on Saturday, according to security sources.

The military spotted several groups of 534 irregular migrants in northwestern Edirne province -- who were planning to illegally cross the border -- and took them into custody, said a source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The migrants included Afghan, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Iraq, Iranian, Somalian, Libyan, Tunisian, Egyptian, Eritrean, Moroccan, Algerian and Syrian nationals.

Moreover, the Turkish Coast Guard detained 223 irregular migrants off the coast of western Aydin and Izmir provinces, another source said.

The migrants are Afghan and Iranian nationals, the source added.

All the migrants were later referred to provincial migration directorates.

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

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

The migrants were mostly Afghan, Pakistani, Syrian and Iraqi nationals.

* Writing by Fatih Hafiz Mehmet.