Total of 429 irregular migrants held in NW Turkey

EDIRNE, Turkey

A total of 429 irregular migrants were held in a border city of Turkey in the northwest, security sources said on Wednesday.

The migrants -- who attempted to cross to Europe illegally -- were arrested by the local gendarmerie forces in Edirne, a Turkish province bordering Greece and Bulgaria.

The arrests came after inspections by the local gendarmerie forces in the Ipsala, Meric, Uzunkopru, Lalapasa, Havsa, Enez and Kesan districts.

The irregular migrants from Eritrea, Palestine, Bangladesh, Nepal, Syria and Afghanistan were later referred to provincial migration directorate.

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

Some 268,000 irregular migrants were held in Turkey in 2018, according to the Interior Ministry.

* Writing by Zehra Nur Duz