Clashes have erupted on the Greek-Turkish border, with Greek security forces using tear gas and a water cannon to hold back the thousands of migrants and refugees trying to enter Greece. Tear gas was also reportedly fired from the Turkish side of the border into Greece.
Over the past week, the situation on the border has been alarming, after Turkey declared that it had opened its borders with Europe, a move seen as Turkey’s attempt to force the EU and NATO to support his military operation in Syria’s Idlib region.
Turkey said it planned to deploy 1,000 special operations police on its side of the border to prevent Greek authorities from forcing back migrants who already crossed. Many asylum-seekers have been camping out on the Turkish side despite Greek insistence that its border is closed.
It still remains unclear whether the newly signed ceasefire agreement between Turkey and Russia, who back opposite sides in Syria’s war, would also affect the situation on the border. Greece has repeatedly stressed that those attempting to cross the border are not refugees from Idlib, and mostly not Syrian.
Clashes between migrants, police erupt on Greek-Turkish border
EPA-EFE/ORESTIS PANAGIOTOU
Riot policemen try to disperse asylum seekers while they demonstrate outside the Moria refugees camp on Lesvos island, Greece, on 02 March 2020. The protesters ask to let them go free to their destination. Meanwhile, thousands of refugees and migrants have gathered on the Turkish side of the border with Greece with the intent to cross into the European Union following the Turkish government's decision to loosen controls on migrant flows after the death of 33 Turkish soldiers killed in an attack in Idlib, Syria on 27 February.
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