Turkish security forces have detained more than 3,000 irregular migrants looking to cross the country to enter the European Union over the past week, the Anadolu news agency reported on Monday, citing security sources
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd December, 2019) Turkish security forces have detained more than 3,000 irregular migrants looking to cross the country to enter the European Union over the past week, the Anadolu news agency reported on Monday, citing security sources.
The bulk of the apprehensions were made in regions adjacent to Turkey's land border with Greece and Bulgaria, as well as Turkey's western coast, which is a common departure point for migrants seeking to reach the Greek Aegean Islands.
According to the agency, more than 1,960 migrants were detained in the northwestern provinces of Edirne, Kirklareli and Tekirdag, which are close to the Greek and Bulgarian borders.
The combined forces of the Turkish coastguard and police apprehended more than 1,000 migrants on Turkey's western coasts in the cities of Mugla, Canakkale, Izmir, Aydin and Balikesir.
Additionally, 38 undocumented migrants were detained in the Turkish capital, Ankara, while a further 17 migrants were apprehended in the eastern province of Bitlis.
According to the Turkish security sources, the detained migrants originated from 22 different countries, including Syria, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
In 2016, Turkey signed a landmark 6 billion euro ($6.6 billion) deal with the European Union to help curb the Europe-bound migrant flow. According to the terms of the agreement, migrants arriving on Greek islands would be returned to Turkey if they were unsuccessful in their attempts to apply for asylum in Greece. In return, EU states agreed to accept one Syrian refugee from Turkey for every returned migrant. Since the deal was signed, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly stated that European Union countries are not doing enough to provide aid and resettlement for EU-bound migrants.
