VAN, Turkey
The 20-kilometer (12-mile) section of a firewall built along the Turkey-Iran border has been completed to prevent illegal crossings, according to the governor of Turkey's eastern Van province.
Security forces are taking every measure in the Caldiran district of Van that has the longest border with Iran, to prevent illegal crossings as well as smuggling activities and terrorist infiltration from the country’s eastern borders.
The borderline is kept under constant surveillance through the patrol activities carried out with armored vehicles, along with unmanned aerial vehicles and optical towers.
Thanks to the strict measures, irregular migrants who attempted to illegally cross into Turkey from the borderline are held and handed over to the provincial migration office.
Teams continue their firewall construction works to prevent illegal crossings on the route extending from the Caldiran border to the borderlines in Agri’s Dogubayazit on the east and Hakkari’s Yuksekova district on the southeast.
Van Governor Mehmet Emin Bilmez told Anadolu Agency that the efforts to build a wall, a new optical tower, and a police station, as well as the trench digging and razor wire drawing activities are underway along the border.
"Since last year, 104 lego and monoblock towers have been built. The construction of two outposts is ongoing. 175 kilometers (108 miles) of the trench has been dug. A 64-kilometer (39-mile) wall is being built in three stages. Currently, the installation of the 20-kilometer wall has been completed. From now on, the installation work on the borderline will continue at a faster pace," Bilmez said.
UAVs, drones, and thermal cameras are also used to ensure border security, Bilmez added.
Bilmez noted that with the recent security measures at the border, the number of irregular immigrants entering the country dropped significantly, while many organizers involved in human smuggling were held.
"Thanks to the intelligence work conducted this year, a total of 1,290 organizers have been held by the security forces, while nearly half of them have been arrested. Last year, this figure was 599," Bilmez added.
Turkey has been a key transit point for irregular migrants who want to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.
Turkey, which already hosts 4 million refugees, more than any other country in the world, is taking new measures at its borders to prevent a fresh influx of migrants.
*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz.
