Over 700 Irregular Migrants Held in Turkey

Edirine [Turkey], May 12 (ANI): Turkish authorities on Saturday detained at least 757 irregular migrants across the country, security sources said.In northwestern Edirne province, a group of 534 migrants, who were planning to illegally cross Turkish border, were held by the military and sent them into custody, Anadolu News Agency quoted a source as saying.The nationalities of the illegal migrants were -- Pakistani, Afghan, Bangladeshi, Iraqi, Iranian, Syrian Libyan, Somalian, Egyptian, Tunisian, Eritrean, Moroccan and Algerian.Another source said that Turkish Coast Guard detained at least 223 irregular migrants off the coast of western Aydin and Izmir provinces in a separate raid.The refugees were Afghan and Iranian nationals, the source was quoted as saying.All the 757 migrants were later referred to provincial migration directorates for questioning.Turkey has seen a major influx of illegal migrants who have been trying to reach Europe especially since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011.Last year, around 268,000 irregular migrants were detained in Turkey, according to the country's interior ministry.The detained refugees were mostly Pakistani, Afghan, Syrian and Iraqi nationals. (ANI)

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