Euronews reports that Cyprus has begun returning Syrian migrants intercepted at sea under a bilateral agreement with Damascus, Deputy Migration Minister Nicholas Ioannides has said.
In recent days, two inflatable boats carrying 30 Syrians each were escorted back to Syria after Cypriot navy and police patrol boats responded to distress calls.
Ioannides told private TV station Antenna that migrant departures from Syria have increased, a shift from previous years when most boats set sail from Lebanon.
Authorities are also investigating reports of human traffickers colluding with local employers to facilitate migrant arrivals.