KIRKLARELI, Turkey

Fifteen irregular migrants claimed Thursday that they were sent back to Turkey after being battered by Bulgarian border units, according to a security source.

Gendarmerie teams in the northwestern Kirklareli province learned that there were irregular migrants in two villages of the Kofcaz district near the Bulgaria border, said a source on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Teams reached the areas where they held irregular Afghan and Pakistani migrants, it added.

In their statements, the migrants said they were caught and battered by Bulgarian police and left to the Turkish side after their valuable belongings were taken away.

They were later referred to a provincial repatriation center.

*Writing by Sena Guler