09 January 2018•Update: 09 January 2018
IZMIR
Turkish coast guards held a total of 127 undocumented migrants, who were attempting to cross into Europe, a security official said Tuesday.
The coast guard teams stopped an inflatable boat in the Dikili district of the Aegean province of Izmir and rounded up 66 Syrian migrants, including 19 children, said the official, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media.
The migrants were allegedly trying to reach Lesbos island of Greece.
Izmir gendarmerie command teams also conducted an operation against another group of undocumented migrants in Salihler neighborhood in the same district.
A total of 59 Syrian nationals, who were believed to be preparing to cross into Greece, were held during the operation. As many as 34 life vests and an inflatable boat were also seized.
Seperately in Bodrum district of Aegean Mugla province, the coast guards stopped an inflatable boat and rounded up two Iranian migrants. The migrants were allegedly trying to reach Greece.
The undocumented people were later taken to a provincial migration authority.
Turkey has been the main route for migrants trying to cross into Europe, especially since the beginning of the civil war in Syria.
Reporting by Mustafa Yildirim and Ali Balli:Writing by Burcu Arik and Seyit Ahmet Aytac
