Nearly 360 migrants held in Turkey

By Omer Ural

ANKARA

At least 357 irregular migrants were held in Turkey, security sources said on Wednesday.

In the southern Hatay province, 111 migrants who illegally entered Turkey were held by security forces at the border with Syria, said a source who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Police arrested one alleged human smuggler.

In the northwestern Edirne province -- bordering Bulgaria and Greece -- gendarmerie forces held 234 irregular migrants.

One alleged human smuggler arrested in operation.

In another northwestern province, Tekirdag, police held 12 irregular migrants – Afghanistan and Pakistan nationals -- during regular patrols.

All migrants were later referred to provincial migration directorates.

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

Some 265,000 irregular migrants were held in Turkey in 2018, according to the Interior Ministry.

The irregular migrants were mostly Afghan, Pakistani, Syrian and Iraqi nationals.