99 illegal migrants arrested by Turkey

Turkish security forces have detained nearly a-hundred people trying to leave the country illegally and gain entry to the European Union.

They were all detained near the Turkish border with Greece and included Iranians, Iraqis, Afghans and Palestinians.

The BBC Ankara correspondent says so far this year more than five thousand people have been detained, but no one knows how many have evaded capture and made it into the European Union. The Italian government has called on Turkey and Greece to do more to prevent the smuggling trade after more than four hundred migrants arrived by boat in southern Italy on Sunday.

But our correspondent says the Turkish authorities complain their forces are already stretched to the limit.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service