Over 3,700 irregular migrants held in past week in Turkey

At least 3,720 irregular migrants were held across Turkey over the past week, according to data compiled by Anadolu Agency from security sources.

As many as 734 migrants were held in multiple operations carried out by gendarmerie forces in the northwestern Edirne province, bordering Greece and Bulgaria.

Greece has recently stepped up efforts to send irregular migrants to Turkey in violation of the Geneva Conventions, European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Convention Against Torture, according to local security forces in Edirne.

In the coastal provinces of Canakkale, Balikesir, Aydin, Izmir and Mugla, the Turkish Coast Guard and gendarmerie forces held a total of 2,788 migrants as they were trying to cross to Europe through Greece.

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

Separately, in the northwestern provinces of Kirklareli and Tekirdag, 61 migrants were held by gendarmerie forces.

Moreover, border forces and police in the southern Hatay and Kilis provinces caught 63 migrants for trying to enter Turkey from Syria through illegal means.

In the central province of Sivas 4, and southeastern province Batman 70 migrants were held by police and gendarmerie forces.

The migrants included Pakistani, Congolese, Syrian, Iraqi, Iranian, Afghan, Tunisian, Kuwaiti, Moroccan, Egyptian, Libyan, Bangladeshi, Algerian, Somali, Ghanian, Yemeni, Palestinian, Nepali, Eritrean and Nigerian nationals.

All of the migrants held during the week were either taken to hospitals for medical treatment or transferred to provincial migration offices.

In 2018, some 268,000 irregular migrants were held in Turkey, according to the Interior Ministry. Turkey has been a key transit point for irregular migrants aiming to cross to Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.