Nearly 340 irregular migrants held in Turkey

By Burak Akay

ANKARA

At least 338 irregular migrants were held across Turkey, security sources said on Friday.

In the northwestern province of Canakkale, 166 irregular migrants were held in the Ayvacik and Ezine districts by gendarmerie forces, said a security source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Security forces arrested six alleged human smugglers.

In another operation, 46 migrants in a rubber boat were held by the Turkish Coast Guard in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Izmir province.

In the northwestern Edirne province -- bordering Bulgaria and Greece -- gendarmerie forces held 126 irregular migrants.

All 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.

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