Ahmet Salih Alacacı
September 03, 2018•Update: September 06, 2018
By Safak Yel, Seracettin Seckin, and Durmus Genc
IZMIR/VAN/MUGLA, Turkey
At least 220 irregular migrants were held across Turkey on Monday, security sources said.
Turkish Coast Guard patrols identified a dinghy carrying 58 irregular migrants off western Izmir province’s Foca district trying to cross to the Greek islands, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.
The migrants include Syrian, Iraqi, Somalian, Eritrean, Afghan, and Bangladeshi nationals.
Separately, 145 migrants -- including women and children -- were caught by gendarmerie forces in the eastern province of Van after illegally entering the country.
Drivers of the five vehicles were arrested for human smuggling charges.
Also, coastal guards held some 17 migrants -- including Yemeni, Iraqi, Syrian, and Iranian nationals -- in the western Mugla province’s Bodrum district while trying to cross to Greece.
Turkey has been a main route for refugees trying to cross to Europe, especially since 2011, the beginning of Syria's civil war.
Among the migrants held in 2017 in Turkey, the majority came from Pakistan -- around 15,000 -- followed by Afghans at around 12,000. Syrians totaled about 10,000.
