Migrants freeze to death en route to eastern Turkey

Six children and a woman from a group of 33 Afghan migrants trying to cross into the eastern Turkish province of Van from bordering Iran have frozen to death. 

The migrants were found by Turkish soldiers on patrol near the Iranian border at around 4 a.m. on May 13 after a heavy hail storm in the mountainous area.

According to reports, the seven migrants had already died prior to their discovery by soldiers, while eight others were in a serious condition. 

Five of the migrants were transferred to a hospital in the city of Van, while the other three were treated in a state hospital in Van's Çald?ran district. Eighteen other migrants who were in better health were taken to the Çald?ran Battalion Command, where their needs were met.

Van is a major crossing point for Iranian refugees in Turkey, who number over 10,000 according to reports by the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

The latest incident comes two days after 122 migrants were captured by Turkish security forces in two different incidents.

On May 11, Yalova Gendarmerie Forces captured 35 Afghans while on a daily patrol of the Yalova-Bursa road, after they stopped a suspected vehicle with a license plate number of 34, which is the official plate number for Istanbul, Do?an News Agency reported. 

Among the Afghans who planned to cross into Greece via the sea, three were women and two were children. 

The Afghans allegedly planned to board a vessel at Mudanya, in the coastal province of Bursa, to sail to Greece. Gendarmerie forces also found 20 life vests in their search of the vehicle.

The truck's driver has been arrested, while the Afghans will be deported following legal procedures. 

Meanwhile, 87 Syrian migrants were recently...