More than 90 irregular migrants held across Turkey

By Esber Ayaydin</p> <p>AYDIN, Turkey (AA) – A total of 94 irregular migrants were held across Turkey, according to security sources on Saturday.</p> <p>In the western province of Aydin, the coast guard held a group of 94 migrants — including 46 Syrians, 37 Afghans, five Sierra Leoneans, four Palestinians and two Malians — off Kusadasi district on a dinghy. They were trying to reach Greece.</p> <p>All of the migrants were referred to provincial migration directorates.</p> <p>Turkey has been a main route for irregular migrants trying to cross to Europe, especially since 2011 when the Syrian civil war began.</p> <p>Some 265,000 irregular migrants were held in Turkey in 2018 as of Oct. 15, according to the Interior Ministry.