Over 4,100 irregular migrants held over past week

ANKARA

At least 4,195 irregular migrants were detained across Turkey over the past week, according to data compiled by Anadolu Agency from security sources.

As many as 1,865 irregular migrants were caught in multiple operations carried out by gendarmerie forces in the northwestern Edirne province, which borders Greece and Bulgaria.

In the northwestern provinces of Kırklareli and Tekirdağ, a total of 141 irregular migrants were detained by gendarmerie forces over the past week.

In the coastal provinces of Çanakkale, Balıkesir, Aydın, İzmir, and Muğla, coast guard and gendarmerie rounded up a total of 1,621 migrants trying to cross over to Europe through Greece via the Aegean Sea.

During the week, a total of 55 people were detained for alleged human smuggling.

In the eastern province of Van, which borders Iran, a total of 530 migrants were detained by gendarmerie and border forces.

Some 20 migrants were also detained by police in Istanbul.

In the Central Anatolian province of Sivas, gendarmerie forces detained 15 migrants.

Separately, three migrants were detained by security forces in southern province of Osmaniye.

The migrants included Pakistani, Moroccan, Syrian, Iraqi, Afghan, Egyptian and Bangladeshi nationals. They were either taken to hospital for medical care or transferred to provincial migration offices.

In 2018, some 268,000 irregular migrants were detained in Turkey, according to the Interior Ministry.

Turkey has been a key transit point for irregular migrants aiming to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.