151 migrants detained in Turkey

As many as 151 migrants were held in different parts of Turkey on Saturday, security sources said.

In Izmir province, at least 27 refugees, including women and children were detained off coastal Dikili district, Anadolu News Agency quoted a security source as saying. The source added that the migrants were attempting to complete a journey to Greece on a rubber boat.

Out of the 27 migrants, 25 of them were Afghan nationals, while the remaining two were Syrians.

In Aydin province, 30 refugees were detained by the security forces in Didim, while they were trying to cross into Europe.

Turkish police also detained about 78 undocumented migrants of Pakistani, Iraqi, Iranian, Afghan and Algerian nationals near the Bulgarian border in Kirklareli province.

Furthermore, 16 refugees were held by border guards, after they attempted to illegally enter Turkey from Syria in Yayladagi district of Hatay province.

Turkish security forces have been engaged in an operation to detain the undocumented migrants who attempt to reach Europe by sea illegally by crossing Turkish waters.

Turkey has seen a major influx of migrants who have been trying to reach the European continent especially since the beginning of the Syrian Civil War in 2011 and the presence of the Islamic State terror group in parts of Syria and Iraq.