Over 500 undocumented migrants held across Turkey

By Erdal Turkoglu and Hakan Mehmet Sahin

HATAY/EDIRNE, Turkey

At least 519 undocumented migrants were held in the southern and northwestern provinces of Turkey, security officials said Tuesday.

13 migrants -- all of them Syrian nationals -- were caught in the border district of Yayladagi, Hatay after they illegally crossed into Turkey from Syria, said an official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

The migrants, including women and children, were later taken to a police post for deportation.

Separately, in northwestern Edirne province, a total of 506 illegal migrants were held while they attempted to illegally cross into Greece, a security source said.

Migrants who are nationals of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Libya and Palestine were later sent to an immigration office in the city.

Turkey has been a main route for refugees trying to cross into Europe since the beginning of the civil war in Syria.