(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) ANKARA, March 10 (KUNA) -- Turkey said on Saturday it has detained some 167 illegal migrants across the country.
Police and gendarmerie force jointly held 98 Afghan nationals in the eastern Kars province, according to Turkey's Anadolu Agency.
In a separate operation, coastguards apprehended 37 migrants, most Syrian nationals, on board a boat off the coast of the western province of Izmir.
Coastguards also held 32 migrants, said to include nationals from Afghanistan, Iran, Senegal and Sudan, as they illegally attempted to reach the shores of Greece.
In January, Turkish coastguards announced the arrest of a total 21,937 migrants in 2017 attempting to enter the country illegally by sea, while 61 people drowned on the way.
Turkey, with its strategic location between three continents, is being used as a launchpad for many migrants seeking a better life in Europe, particularly since the start of the bloody conflict in Syria, which has reached its seventh year. (end) rs.sd
MENAFN1003201800710000ID1096572434
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.