Over 700 undocumented migrants held in Turkey

A total of 744 undocumented migrants were held across Turkey on Monday, according to security sources.

In the Aegean Izmir province, 206 undocumented migrants were rounded up in the Cesme and Dikili districts in the last 24 hours, said coast guard sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media, reports Anadolu Agency.

The migrants include women and children trying to illegally cross into Greece.

Another 14 undocumented migrants were held in Bodrum in the southwestern coastal Mugla province by the coast guard.

Security units later stopped another boat including 49 migrants attempting to cross into Greece from Karaada island in the Aegean province of Aydin. The migrants were then brought onshore by coast guard units.

In Kas in the Mediterranean southwestern Antalya province, 38 undocumented migrants were also rounded up.

The Turkish Coast Guard also held 100 undocumented migrants in the Mediterranean Mersin province.

Separately, in the southern Hatay province’s Kirikhan district, eight Syrians were held for illegally crossing into Turkey.

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A Syrian national suspect was also arrested and remanded in custody for human smuggling.

Security personnel in the northwestern Edirne province rounded up 329 undocumented migrants who were attempting to illegally cross into Europe.

The migrants included Syrians, Algerians, Palestinians, Moroccans, Iraqis, Pakistanis, Afghans, Egyptians and Bangladeshis.

All the migrants were sent to the provincial migration authority.

Turkey has been the main route for refugees trying to cross into Europe, especially since the beginning of the Syrian civil war.