150 undocumented migrants held in Turkey

By Mehmet Yavas , Hanife Erdinc, and Yusuf Koyun

CANAKKALE/ADANA, Turkey

Security forces on Thursday held a total of 150 undocumented migrants across Turkey, officials said.

In northwestern Canakkale province, Turkish gendarmerie forces rounded up 42 Afghan nationals in Bademli village of Ayvacik district, the sources said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Separately in Canakkale, the coast guard held 57 Syrian nationals after spotting a rubber raft heading to the Greek island of Lesbos.

In southern Adana province, 51 Afghan, Pakistani, and Iranian nationals who were planning to cross into Europe through Turkey were held.

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

Among migrants held in 2017 in Turkey, the majority came from Pakistan -- around 15,000 -- followed by Afghans at around 12,000. Syrians totalled about 10,000.

There has been a 60 percent increase in migrant flow since 2016. The number was 31,000 in 2016.