A total of 181 migrants were held across Turkey on Sunday, security sources said.

Axar.az informs citing AA.

The coast guard units identified a dinghy carrying 16 migrants -- including Iraqi, Syrian and Palestinian nationals -- in the Dikili district of the western Izmir province.

Moreover, the security forces stopped a car during a road check and held five Palestinians trying to illegally cross the Turkish border in the northwestern Edirne province.

The driver of the vehicle was arrested for human smuggling.

Some 36 migrants -- all Afghan nationals including women and children -- were also held in the Ayvacik district of the western Canakkale province.

In the Baskale district of the eastern Van province, gendarmerie forces caught 75 Afghan and Palestinian nationals in two passenger vans.

The migrants were offered food while the drivers of the cars were arrested.

Separately, in the Didim district of the western Aydin province, 29 migrants including 15 children were caught off Tekagac Bay.

Also, in the Bodrum district of the southwestern Mugla province, a total of 20 migrants were caught in two different operations.

Turkey has been a main route for refugees trying to cross to Europe, especially since 2011, the beginning of Syria's civil war.

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