Turkish Cypriot police shot and injured two irregular migrants who tried to avoid arrest, the online edition of the Turkish Cypriot newspaper Yeniduzen reports.

It said the two, both Syrians, were spotted on a beach in Turkish-held Syrianochori. They ignored calls to stop as well as a warning shot fired in the air and tried to flee, the paper quoted authorities as saying. They have been hospitalised with gunshot injuries.

Earlier 30 irregular migrants from Syria — 20 men, three women and seven children — were spotted on the beach where their boat had come to shore, Yeniduzen said.

It added that two captains of the boat and a person waiting at the beach as well as the group of 30 were arrested.