The crossings along the mountainous 540km (335 mile)-border between Turkey and Iran are protected by a concrete wall, a barbed-wire-topped barrier that stretches for 140km (87 miles).

But that does little to stop thousands of mostly young people fleeing from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran every year to leave conflict, violence, and despair behind in search for a better life.

According to the Turkish Ministry of Interior General Directorate of Migration Management, some 53,176 migrants have been stopped so far this year until 16 June. The figure is half of the 122,302 registered last year and a major drop from the 454,662 migrants stopped in 2019.

In the last 10 years, Turkey has become one of the most important countries on the migrants’ route to Europe.

Most of the migrants flee their countries for similar reasons.

For Afghans and Pakistanis, war and violence force them from their homelands.

For Iranians, they hit the road to Turkey – their main access point to Europe – dreaming of better economic opportunities and escaping the oppressive government in Tehran.

But the route is fraught with peril and risk, with many joining the growing list of victims of human trafficking in the region.