23 asylum seekers held in northwestern Turkey

KIRKLARELI, Turkey

Turkish security forces held at least 23 asylum seekers in the northwestern Kirklareli province, security sources said on Friday.

The Afghan and Syrian nationals were held in two separate groups by local gendarmerie forces in Tatlipinar and Devletliagac villages of the Kofcaz district, which borders Bulgaria.

Acting upon a tip-off, the teams nabbed 11 asylum seekers in Devletliagac and 12 others in forestland in Tatlipinar.

According to insiders, the asylum seekers held in Devletliagac told Turkish forces that they crossed the border but were pushed back by Bulgarian police.

After routine medical checks, they were referred to the provincial gendarmerie command and later transferred to the local repatriation center.

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

Turkey hosts nearly 4 million refugees, more than any other country in the world.

*Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev