Nearly 200 undocumented migrants held across Turkey

By Birol Gungordu, Mehmet Calik and Necat Hazar

CANAKKALE/ VAN/ AYDIN, Turkey

Nearly 200 undocumented migrants were held across Turkey, security sources said on Thursday.

Sixty-three of the migrants were rounded up in Ezine district of northwestern Canakkale province, as they attempted to illegally cross into the Greek island of Lesbos, said security sources, who asked not to be named due to media restrictions.

Another 30 migrants including 13 children on an inflatable boat were stopped by coastguard teams off Kusadasi district of western Aydin province.

The migrants -- the majority of them are Syrian nationals -- were planning to leave Turkey for another country, security sources said.

Separately, 105 undocumented migrants -- including Afghan, Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals – were rounded up in Caldiran district of eastern Van province after illegally entering Turkey, according to a statement by provincial gendarmerie command.

All the migrants were referred to provincial migration authorities.

Turkey has been the main route for refugees trying to cross into Europe, especially since the start of Syria’s civil war in 2011.

Among the migrants held last year in Turkey, the majority came from Pakistan -- around 15,000 -- followed by Afghans at around 12,000. Syrians totaled 10,000.

Reporting by Birol Gungordu, Mehmet Calik and Necat Hazar:Writing by Nilay Kar