More than 120 irregular migrants held across Turkey

By Dilara Hamit

ANKARA (AA) - At least 121 irregular migrants were held across Turkey, according to security sources on Monday.

In the Aegean province of Izmir, 46 migrants including 14 women and 11 children were caught in a rubber inflatable boat trying to cross to Greece.

At least 18 Syrian migrants were arrested in the southern Hatay province. The migrants were later deported for illegal border crossing.

Separately, in the eastern province of Van, 44 migrants, including 32 Afghan and 12 Pakistani nationals, were caught in a bus.

The bus driver was also arrested and all migrants were later referred to provincial migration directorates.

Additionally, some 13 Syrians were caught upon a tip of in Uzunkopru and Meric districts of the north western Edirne province.

Turkey has been a main route for irregular migrants trying to cross to Europe, especially since 2011 when the Syrian civil war began.

Some 265,000 irregular migrants were held in Turkey in 2018 as of Oct. 15, according to the Interior Ministry.

* Ramazan Ercan, Necat Hazar and Mehmet Toktas contributed to this story.