Over 600 irregular migrants held across Turkey

ANKARA

At least 623 irregular migrants were held across Turkey on Friday, according to multiple security sources.

In the northwestern Edirne province -- bordering Greece and Bulgaria --, gendarmerie forces held some 583 migrants, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Separately, in the eastern Van province, police held 40 irregular migrants, comprising of 27 Afghan, 11 Pakistani and two Iraqi nationals.

Police also arrested one 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.

* Writing by Busra Nur Bilgic