Greece braces for fresh influx of tens of thousands of migrants as satellite images ‘show Turkey releasing refugees from inland deportation centres and moving them to coastal areas’
- Greek authorities increased coastguard, airforce and navy patrols in preparation
- People smugglers use Turkey’s west coast to traffic refugees to Greek islands
- In 2015-2016 crisis more than 1 million fled to the EU via Turkey and Greece
A refugee camp in Turkey is preparing to release tens of thousands of migrants sparking fears they will flee to EU member state Greece, satellite images suggest.
Greek authorities have increased coastguard, air force and navy patrols in preparation for an influx of migrants.
Satellite images taken in Turkey appear to show asylum seekers being moved from inland facilities to coastal regions.
Satellite images taken in Turkey appear to show asylum seekers being moved from inland facilities to coastal regions
A refugee camp in Turkey is preparing to release tens of thousands of migrants sparking fears they will flee to EU member state Greece , reports suggest
Areas along Turkey’s west coast are notoriously used by illegal people smugglers to traffic desperate refugees to nearby Greek islands by boat.
The current migration fears are reminiscent of 2015 to 2016 crisis where more than one million people, mostly fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Asia, reached the EU via Turkey and Greece.
A Greek government official told The Times: ‘We have noticed some suspicious movements.
Areas along Turkey’s west coast (where the refugees are being transported to, pictured) are notoriously used by illegal people smugglers to traffic desperate refugees to nearby Greek islands by boat
A Greek government official told The Times : ‘We have noticed some suspicious movements.’ Pictured: Satellite images taken in Turkey appear to show asylum seekers being moved from inland facilities to coastal regions
‘As a result we have ordered a heightened alert for the next few days during the Easter holiday.’
Turkey was locked down this weekend after the country reported 56,900 confirmed cases of the bug with nearly 1,200 deaths.
It is unclear whether the asylum seekers included in the group have coronavirus.
More than 100,000 asylum seekers are trapped in Greece with nearly 40,000 in camps on the islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos. Pictured: Migrants use a boat as a tent in Petra, Lesbos
Under a 2016 deal, Turkey agreed to stem the tide of refugees to Europe in return for financial aid. It has since protested that the EU has failed to honour the agreement. Pictured: A migrant sits by a tent in Lesbos
More than 100,000 asylum seekers are trapped in Greece with nearly 40,000 in camps on the islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos.
Under a 2016 deal, Turkey agreed to stem the tide of refugees to Europe in return for financial aid. It has since protested that the EU has failed to honour the agreement.
But on February 28, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to keep borders open for Syrian refugees headed for Europe.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, just 40 migrants crossed the Agean sea last week.
Other routes are still being used as dozens of migrants drowned in the Mediterranean after attempting travel from Libya to Europe.