Over 80 irregular migrants held across Turkey

KIRKLARELI/MUGLA, Turkey

More than 80 irregular migrants were held across Turkey, local sources said on Wednesday.

In the northwestern Kirklareli province, gendarmerie teams rounded up 18 migrants. The migrants, including Moroccan, Syrian and Afghan nationals, were held in the districts of Demirkoy and Kofcaz and near the Derekoy Border Gate, a land border crossing point between Turkey and Bulgaria.

The migrants claimed that they were beaten up in Bulgaria and sent to Turkey.

Another group of 63 irregular migrants was held by the Turkish Coast Guard off the coast of Bodrum in the Aegean Mugla province.

Migrants were sent to the local migration office after routine procedures.

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

Turkey, which already hosts 4 million refugees, more than any country in the world, is taking new security measures on its borders to prevent a fresh influx of migrants.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz