Greek Army On Alert as Hundreds of Migrants Converge on Turkey Border

SManalysis

By Tasos Kokkinidis -Feb 28, 2020



Greek-Turkish borders at Evros. File photo
Greek defense forces have increased their patrols on Friday at the land border with Turkey on Evros River as hundreds of migrants and refugees have camped on the Turkish side waiting for an opportunity to cross.

The mass move towards Greece follows a decision taken at an emergency meeting chaired by President Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday which orders the Turkish police, coast guard and border security officials to stand down and let the refugees pass through to Europe.

The Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, Konstantinos Floros, is due to arrive at Evros later in the day to coordinate the border units ensuring that no illegal crossings would take place. A government official told Athens Macedonia News Agency that Greece is in constant contact with the European Union and NATO on the migration issue.

According to Turkish media reports, around 300 migrants, including women and children, have marched from Turkey to the Greek border after Turkey announced it will no longer stop Syrian refugees from reaching Europe. Syrians, Iranians and Iraqis were among those in the group.



Defense sources say that the large group has broken down to smaller groups that have camped at various vantage points across the river. They are closely monitored by Greek soldiers from the opposite side. Army helicopters are also flying over the area.

According to other Turkish media reports hundreds of migrants have also converged at the Turkish coast, near Smyrna, waiting to cross to the Greek islands.