A total of 162 irregular migrants were apprehended across Turkey on Wednesday, according to security sources.

In the eastern provinces of Van and Kars, security forces rounded up 66 migrants, including 40 Afghan nationals.

Four suspects were arrested in Van on charges of human smuggling.

Twenty-one irregular migrants were held in the northwestern province of Kocaeli after they were found traveling in a minibus. The driver was also arrested for alleged human trafficking.

Another group of 48 irregular migrants were rescued by coast guard teams off the coast of Bodrum in the Aegean province of Muğla.

A statement by the Coast Guard Command said the migrants in two rubber boats were pushed back to Turkish territorial waters by Greek forces.

Turkey's five Aegean provinces – Çanakkale, Balıkesir, Izmir, Muğla and Aydın – are prime spots for refugees leaving Turkey for the European Union, with Greek islands lying within sight of the Turkish coast.

In recent years, hundreds of thousands have made short but perilous journeys across the Aegean in a bid to reach northern and western Europe in search of a better life.

Hundreds of people have died at sea as a number of boats carrying refugees sank or capsized. The Turkish Coast Guard Command has rescued thousands of others.

Pushbacks are considered contrary to international refugee protection agreements, which say people should not be expelled or returned to a country where their life and safety might be in danger due to their race, religion, nationality or membership in a social or political group.

Two suspects were arrested for migrant smuggling.

The command said in a separate statement that 33 irregular migrants were rescued in the Aegean province of Aydın off the coast of Didim.

That came after rescue teams dispatched aid for the group traveling in rubber boats after they requested help.

All migrants were handed over to local migration offices for deportation procedures.

Turkey has been a key transit point for asylum-seekers attempting to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

Turkey, which already hosts 4 million refugees – more than any country in the world – is taking new security measures within and on its borders to prevent a fresh influx of migrants.

Turkey has recently seen an increase in refugees, particularly from Afghanistan.

Concerns have risen over a possible spike in migrants from Afghanistan due to the United States' pullout from the country after two decades.

Within the scope of fighting irregular migration, a 243-kilometer (151-mile) concrete wall, topped with barbed wire and surrounded by trenches, is being erected along Turkey’s 534-kilometer frontier with Iran.

Authorities say there are 182,000 registered Afghan migrants in Turkey and up to an estimated 120,000 unregistered ones. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan urged European countries to take responsibility for any new influx, warning that Turkey had no intention of becoming "Europe's migrant storage unit."

Speaking to the NTV news channel, Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalın said: "We have taken new measures to prevent illegal migration. Turkey is no one's migration warehouse."

He pointed out that in the case of a migration wave, neighboring and bordering countries will be affected first and urged the international community to take responsibility for migration.

"Turkey has done its part on the migration and refugees issue. It is neither possible nor likely to receive a new load after this."