Nearly 450 irregular migrants in Turkey

<p>By Hakan Mehmet Sahin</p> <p>ANKARA (AA) – At least 448 irregular migrants were held in Turkey, security sources said Tuesday.</p> <p>In the northwestern province of Edirne, gendarmerie forces rounded up 417 Afghan, Pakistani, Iran, Bangladesh, Palestine and Moroccan nationals, said a security source who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.</p> <p>In a separate operation in the northwestern province of Canakkale, 31 Afghan nationals were held in Ayvacik district by gendarmerie forces while trying to cross into Greece illegally.</p> <p>All of the migrants were referred to provincial migration directorates.</p> <p>In recent years, Turkey has been a main route for irregular migrants trying to cross to Europe, especially the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011.</p> <p>More than 265,000 irregular migrants were held in Turkey in 2018, according to Turkey's Interior Ministry. </p>