Turkey: Elite police going to stop Greece's migrant pushback
Suzan Fraser | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 8 months AGO
A migrant throws a baby in the air in Edirne near the Turkish-Greek border on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Turkey said Thursday it would deploy special forces along its land border with Greece to prevent Greek authorities from pushing back migrants trying to cross into Europe, after Turkey declared its previously guarded gateways to Europe open. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Migrants walk across a bridge in Edirne near the Turkish-Greek border on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Greece countered accusations from Turkey Wednesday that it was responsible for the death of a migrant, as its border authorities strove for a sixth day to keep thousands of migrants out by using tear gas, stun grenades and water cannons. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Greek riot police fire tear gas at migrants who try to enter Greece from Turkey at the Greek-Turkish border in Kastanies on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. Facing a potential wave of nearly a million people fleeing fighting in northern Syria, Turkey has thrown open its borders with Greece to thousands of refugees and other migrants trying to enter Europe, and has threatened to send "millions" more. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)
Migrants camp in a city market area in Edirne near the Turkish-Greek border on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Greece countered accusations from Turkey Wednesday that it was responsible for the death of a migrant, as its border authorities strove for a sixth day to keep thousands of migrants out by using tear gas, stun grenades and water cannons.AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Migrants walk to the village of Skala Sikaminias, on the Greek island of Lesbos, after crossing on a dinghy the Aegean sea from Turkey on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Turkey said Thursday it would deploy special forces along its land border with Greece to prevent Greek authorities from pushing back migrants trying to cross into Europe, after Turkey declared its previously guarded gateways to Europe open. (AP Photo/Alexandros Michailidis)
Migrants carry laundry in Edirne near the Turkish-Greek border on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Greece countered accusations from Turkey Wednesday that it was responsible for the death of a migrant, as its border authorities strove for a sixth day to keep thousands of migrants out by using tear gas, stun grenades and water cannons. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Migrants use a cart as others walk near the Turkish-Greek border in Pazarkule on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. Greek authorities fired tear gas and stun grenades Wednesday morning to repulse a push by migrants to cross its land border from Turkey, as pressure continued along its frontier after Turkey said its own border with Europe was open to whoever wanted to cross. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Greek riot police guard as migrants stand on a fence as they try to enter Greece from Turkey at the Greek-Turkish border in Kastanies on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. Facing a potential wave of nearly a million people fleeing fighting in northern Syria, Turkey has thrown open its borders with Greece to thousands of refugees and other migrants trying to enter Europe, and has threatened to send "millions" more. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)
Migrants walk on a bridge in Edirne near the Turkish-Greek border on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Turkey has vowed to seek justice for a migrant it says was killed on the border with Greece after Greek authorities fired tear gas and stun grenades to push back dozens of people attempting to cross over. Greece had denied that anyone was killed in the clashes. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Migrants walk on a bridge in Edirne near the Turkish-Greek border on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Turkey has vowed to seek justice for a migrant it says was killed on the border with Greece after Greek authorities fired tear gas and stun grenades to push back dozens of people attempting to cross over. Greece had denied that anyone was killed in the clashes. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Migrants walk on a bridge in Edirne near the Turkish-Greek border on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Turkey has vowed to seek justice for a migrant it says was killed on the border with Greece after Greek authorities fired tear gas and stun grenades to push back dozens of people attempting to cross over. Greece had denied that anyone was killed in the clashes. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Migrants sit by an improvised tent in Edirne near the Turkish-Greek border on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Greece countered accusations from Turkey Wednesday that it was responsible for the death of a migrant, as its border authorities strove for a sixth day to keep thousands of migrants out by using tear gas, stun grenades and water cannons.AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
A migrant sits on his belongings in Edirne near the Turkish-Greek border on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Greece countered accusations from Turkey Wednesday that it was responsible for the death of a migrant, as its border authorities strove for a sixth day to keep thousands of migrants out by using tear gas, stun grenades and water cannons.AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Migrants camp in Edirne near the Turkish-Greek border on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Greece countered accusations from Turkey Wednesday that it was responsible for the death of a migrant, as its border authorities strove for a sixth day to keep thousands of migrants out by using tear gas, stun grenades and water cannons. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Migrants walk on a bridge in Edirne near the Turkish-Greek border on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Turkey has vowed to seek justice for a migrant it says was killed on the border with Greece after Greek authorities fired tear gas and stun grenades to push back dozens of people attempting to cross over. Greece had denied that anyone was killed in the clashes. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
A migrant sleeps at a city market area in Edirne near the Turkish-Greek border on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Greece countered accusations from Turkey Wednesday that it was responsible for the death of a migrant, as its border authorities strove for a sixth day to keep thousands of migrants out by using tear gas, stun grenades and water cannons.AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
A migrant holding a baby pauses on the side of the road while walking to the village of Skala Sikaminias, on the Greek island of Lesbos, after crossing on a dinghy the Aegean sea from Turkey on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Turkey said Thursday it would deploy special forces along its land border with Greece to prevent Greek authorities from pushing back migrants trying to cross into Europe, after Turkey declared its previously guarded gateways to Europe open. (AP Photo/Alexandros Michailidis)
Migrants stand covered in blankets near Pazarkule at the Turkish-Greek border on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Turkey has vowed to seek justice for a migrant it says was killed on the border with Greece after Greek authorities fired tear gas and stun grenades to push back dozens of people attempting to cross over. Greece had denied that anyone was killed in the clashes. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Migrants ride in the back of a truck near Pazarkule at the Turkish-Greek border on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Turkey has vowed to seek justice for a migrant it says was killed on the border with Greece after Greek authorities fired tear gas and stun grenades to push back dozens of people attempting to cross over. Greece had denied that anyone was killed in the clashes. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Migrants sit around a fire in Edirne near the Turkish-Greek border on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Turkey said Thursday it would deploy special forces along its land border with Greece to prevent Greek authorities from pushing back migrants trying to cross into Europe, after Turkey declared its previously guarded gateways to Europe open. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Migrants hug after reaching the Greek island of Lesbos, after crossing on a dinghy the Aegean sea from Turkey on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Turkey said Thursday it would deploy special forces along its land border with Greece to prevent Greek authorities from pushing back migrants trying to cross into Europe, after Turkey declared its previously guarded gateways to Europe open. (AP Photo/Alexandros Michailidis)
A migrant woman holds a baby after reaching the Greek island of Lesbos, after crossing on a dinghy the Aegean sea from Turkey on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Turkey said Thursday it would deploy special forces along its land border with Greece to prevent Greek authorities from pushing back migrants trying to cross into Europe, after Turkey declared its previously guarded gateways to Europe open. (AP Photo/Alexandros Michailidis)
Migrants get a ride from a local man near Pazarkule at the Turkish-Greek border on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Turkey has vowed to seek justice for a migrant it says was killed on the border with Greece after Greek authorities fired tear gas and stun grenades to push back dozens of people attempting to cross over. Greece had denied that anyone was killed in the clashes. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey is sending elite special operations police to the border to stop Greek officers from driving back people who try to cross over to Europe, Turkish authorities said Thursday.
Thousands of refugees and other asylum-seekers have tried to enter Greece from the land and sea in the week since Turkey declared its previously guarded gateways to Europe open.
Greek police fired tear gas, stun grenades and water cannons to repel people trying to breach the land border from Turkey's side. Turkish authorities allege that Greece's officers also fired live ammunition and killed a migrant, an assertion Greece denied.
Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Ankara intends to bring a case before the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of the dead migrant.
The Greek government has said no such fatal shooting occurred. Greek authorities also have claimed Turkish police fired tear gas to disperse Greece's border guards.
During a visit to the border area Thursday, Soylu said 1,000 officers from the tactical units of the Police Special Operation Department would be deployed to the Turkey-Greece border to counter the Greek officers working to repel migrants and refugees.
“As of this morning ... we are bringing 1,000 fully equipped special forces police (along) the Meric river system to prevent the pushbacks,” Soylu said. “With the help of Zodiac boats, they will (stop) those who mistreat people.”
Soylu asserted that Greece violated international conventions by using force to stop about 4,900 migrants from getting across the border. He also accused the European Union and Europe's border protection agency Frontex of complicity by remaining silent.
An estimated 4,000-5,000 people near the Pazarkule border crossing, opposite the Greek village of Kastanies, were being prevented from crossing, Soylu said.
“It is a border gate. They are obliged to take them in. They are obliged to take in asylum-seekers,” the minister said.
But he added the migrants were not obliged to use the official border crossing and could cross anywhere along the roughly 200-kilometer (125-mile) -long border. Much of the border is demarcated by a river, and many have tried wading, rowing or swimming across it.
“I want to say that there is no rule that says they have to cross from Pazarkule,” Soylu said.
The minister asserted more than 130,000 people had crossed into Greece since Feb. 27, when Turkey made good on a threat to open its borders. He said around 20-25% of those who reached Greece were Syrians.
There was no evidence to support the number. Although hundreds of people have managed to cross, most appear to have been caught by Greek authorities. Many have said they have been summarily pushed back into Turkey after being detained.
Greek authorities said that from Saturday morning until Thursday evening, they had thwarted 36,649 attempts to enter Greece and made 252 arrests. The situation on the border Thursday was far quieter than in previous days.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decision to open its gateways to Europe has raised concerns within the European Union, which was holding a foreign ministers' meeting in Zagreb, Croatia.
His move came amid a Russia-backed Syrian government offensive into Syria’s northwestern Idlib province, where Turkish troops are fighting. The offensive has killed dozens of Turkish troops and sent nearly a million Syrian civilians toward Turkey’s sealed border.
Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin were meeting in Moscow Thursday for talks aimed at ending the hostilities in northwestern Syria.
Turkey currently hosts more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees, and Erdogan had frequently threatened to open Turkey's borders to Europe. He maintains the EU has not upheld its end of a more than 6 billion-euro deal designed to stem the flow of migrants into Europe, after more than a million people entered the EU in 2015.
The head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Francesco Rocca, visited the Greek side of the border Thursday, and said he hoped a political solution would be found soon. He said he saw through the border fence that there were hundreds of people, including women and children, waiting on the Turkish side of the border.
“Every country, every institution like (the) European Union has the right to set up policies, but these policies must never affect they dignity of human beings,” he said. “It's very, very sad that we have seen again human beings treated as a political weapon. As a tool for politics. And this is unacceptable.”
He said “everyone should be grateful to Turkey" for sheltering millions of refugees for years, but ”political reason cannot justify the decision to open the border."
Greece has called the situation a direct threat to its national security and imposed emergency measures to carry out swift deportations and freeze asylum applications for one month — moves which have come under criticism from human rights groups and refugee aid agencies.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Thursday it was important that Greece not be left alone and that a "united European answer" be found.
“For us it's clear: the EU must continue to financially and increasingly support the efforts of Turkey when it comes to the admission of refugees and migrants,” Maas said.
Greece's sea border has also come under pressure, with hundreds heading to Greek islands from the nearby Turkish coast. A child died when the dinghy he was in capsized off the coast of the Greek island of Lesbos earlier this week.
Soylu, the interior minister, said he had received instructions from Erdogan for Turkish authorities to prevent migrants from crossing by sea to avert drownings.
There were no sea crossings Wednesday, when the area faced high winds and rough seas, but at least one boat arrived on Lesbos on Thursday.
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Elena Becatoros in Athens, Costas Kantouris in Kastanies, Greece, and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report.