At least 568 illegal migrants were intercepted yesterday in the northwestern city of Edirne, which borders Greece and Bulgaria.

Security units rounded up the migrants during patrols in border villages and the Uzunköprü, İpsala, Meriç, and Lalapaşa districts. The migrants included Syrian, Iraqi, Algerian, Palestinian, Pakistani, Libyan, Iranian and Moroccan nationals. They were referred to the provincial migration authorities.

Turkey has been the main route for refugees trying to cross into Europe, especially since the beginning of the civil war in Syria.

Of the migrants held in 2017 in Turkey, the majority came from Pakistan, numbering around 15,000, followed by Afghans, at about 12,000. Syrians totaled 10,000.