Nearly 800 irregular migrants held across Turkey

EDIRNE, Turkey

At least 796 irregular migrants were held across Turkey on Thursday, according to multiple security sources.

In the northwestern Edirne province -- bordering Greece and Bulgaria --, gendarmerie forces held some 406 migrants, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Meanwhile, police arrested some 200 irregular migrants while trying to cross Bulgaria illegally in the same province.

In another operation in Edirne, gendarmerie forces held 50 migrants during regular patrols.

Separately, in the northeastern Ardahan province -- bordering Georgia and Armenia – gendarmerie forces held 39 irregular migrants.

In another operation, 82 irregular migrants were held by police in Erzincan, another northeastern province, for reportedly an illegal entrance to Turkey.

In the southern Mersin province on the Mediterranean coast, the gendarmerie held 19 irregular migrants while trying to reach Cyprus island illegally.

Police also arrested three for alleged human smuggling.

All of 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.

*Salih Baran in Edirne, Gunay Nuh in Ardahan, Kemal Ozdemir in Erzincan, Sezgin Pancar in Mersin contributed this story

* Writing by Busra Nur Bilgic