Over 450 irregular migrants held in western Turkey

By Cihan Demirci, Ilkan Toprak and Salih Baran

EDIRNE / BALIKESIR, Turkey

At least 469 irregular migrants were held in western Turkey, according to security sources on Friday.

Police squads rounded up 14 migrants -- all Pakistani nationals -- on a highway of Kapikule Border crossing near the country’s Bulgarian border in Edirne province, said the sources who asked not to be named, due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency in Edirne, Habib Vofar, one of the migrants, complained about the difficult circumstances in his country, adding that he wanted to look after his family by finding a job in a European country.

Separately, at least 13 Afghan migrants -- 10 of them minors -- were held in Ayvalik district of the western Balikesir province.

One individual identified by only his initials Z.B. was arrested for organizing the illegal crossing.

Some 442 irregular migrants were also held in Edirne.

The migrants are Pakistani, Iraqi, Afghan, Yemeni, Syrian and Palestinian nationals.

Turkey has been the main route for refugees trying to cross into Europe, especially since the beginning of the civil war in Syria.

Some 205,000 irregular migrants were held in Turkey in 2018 as of Oct. 15, according to the Interior Ministry.

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

* Fatih Hafiz Mehmet contributed to this story from Ankara