Tear gas hits the fan during clashes on Greek-Turkish border
The Associated Press | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years, 2 months AGO
In this photo taken Wednesday, March 11, 2020, Greek security force use teargas against stone-throwing migrants at the Turkish-Greek border in Pazarkule, Edirne region, Turkey. Thousands of migrants massed on Turkey's border with Greece, after the Turkish government said last month that it would no longer try to contain migrants on its territory. (AP Photo)
Turkish special forces team patrol on a speed boat along the Maritsa river at the Turkish-Greek border near Karpuzlu village, in Edirne region, Turkey, Wednesday, March 11, 2020. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday made the incendiary claim that the Greek authorities' alleged mistreatment of migrants at its border was comparable to "what the Nazis did" and said he would denounce Greece's action at international platforms. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Greek Army soldiers patrol next to the security fence at the Greek-Turkish border in the village of Kastanies, Evros region, Tuesday, March 10, 2020. The European Union should stop "stringing Turkey along" over helping out with the millions of migrants on its territory, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Tuesday, a day after the two sides agreed to review a 4-year-old deal aimed at stemming refugee flows to Europe. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)
A migrant throws a stone at Greek riot police during clashes between the Kastanies border gate, Greece and the Pazarkule border gate, Turkey, at the Turkish-Greek border in Edirne region, on Saturday, March 7, 2020. A group of migrants on Saturday tried to bring down a fence in a desperate attempt to bust through the border into Greece while others hurled rocks at Greek police. Greek authorities responded, firing volleys of tear gas at the youths. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
Greek police and army guard as migrants gather at a border fence on the Turkish side, during clashes at the Greek-Turkish border in Kastanies, Evros region, on Saturday, March 7, 2020. Thousands of refugees and other migrants have been trying to get into EU member Greece in the past week after Turkey declared that its previously guarded borders with Europe were open. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek border units trying to stop crowds of migrants from pushing their way in from Turkey have hit on a new defense against tear gas unleashed on them from the Turkish side of the frontier — monster fans.
The jeep-mounted turbines were deployed Thursday near the Kastanies crossing in the northeastern Evros border region that's seen daily clashes between migrants and Greek border forces since late last month.
The violence followed the Turkish government's announcement that it would no longer stop its vast migrant and refugee population from illegally entering Greece, arguing that it faces a potential new wave of refugees from Syria. That has spurred thousands to try their luck getting into the European Union.
Greece accuses Turkish authorities of helping the attempted violent crossings by firing the volleys of tear gas that are regularly used against Greek border units.
Greece has also repeatedly used tear gas to prevent migrants from destroying sections of the border fence and pushing through.
Greek military officials said the turbines used to disperse the gas are normally employed in parachute training.
Athens says more than 45,000 attempted entries have been thwarted since the crisis erupted on Feb. 29, including more than 500 on Thursday — when for a second day migrants threw petrol bombs at Greek border troops and police. Greek units were also attacked with tear gas and responded in kind.
Also Thursday, the European Union offered to pay up to 5,000 migrants in squalid, overcrowded camps on the Greek islands to voluntarily return home. Nearly 42,000 people live in the camps, and the Greek government says it plans to move 10,000 to the mainland to ease overcrowding.
During a visit to Athens, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said migrants who sign up would each receive 2,000 euros ($2,240) “of financial and technical support for their departure and towards reintegration in their home countries.”
Johansson also said that seven EU countries so far have pledged to take in more than 1,600 unaccompanied minors trapped in Greece.
“I am confident more pledges could come,” she said.
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