Over 160 undocumented migrants held in Turkey

By Ali Balli and Hakan Mehmet Sahin

MUGLA/EDIRNE, Turkey

At least 166 irregular migrants were held across Turkey, security sources said on Friday.

In the northwestern border province of Edirne, 149 migrants attempting to cross into Europe illegally were held, according to a source who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The migrants were from Iran, Afghanistan, Palestine, Egypt, Pakistan, and Somalia.

Seventeen migrants from Syria and Palestine were also held in the Aegean province of Mugla.

Turkey has been the main route for irregular migrants trying to cross into Europe, especially since 2011 when the Syrian civil war began.

Among the 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.