Over 220 irregular migrants held in Turkey

By Candogan Parlatan, Zafer Tayfur and Mehmet Toktas

AYDIN/VAN/HATAY, Turkey

At least 225 irregular migrants have been held in Turkey, security sources said on Tuesday.

The Turkish Coast Guards identified a group of 33 people sailing in a rubber boat off the coast of western Aydin province’s Kusadasi district, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

Turkish police and Coast Guard teams carried out a joint operation to hold 14 Iraqi nationals, 13 Afghans and 6 Syrians.

All of the migrants were referred to the provincial migration office.

Separately, 160 migrants -- including women and children -- were caught by gendarmerie forces in Baskale and Muradiye districts of the eastern Van province for illegally entering the country.

Also, border guards held some 32 migrants -- all Syrian nationals -- in the southern border province of Hatay’s Yayladagi district.

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