18 irregular migrants held in northwestern Turkey

ISTANBUL

Police held at least 18 irregular migrants in the northwestern Silivri district of Istanbul, sources said Saturday.

Security teams held the migrants who were on a bus headed to Edirne province, which borders Greece.

The migrants were transferred to the provincial repatriation center.

Turkey has been a key transit point for asylum seekers who want to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

It hosts nearly 4 million refugees, including more than 3.6 million Syrians, the most of any country in the world.

*Writing by Merve Aydogan in Ankara