Greece denies Turkey’s allegations that 12 illegal immigrants froze to death after being pushed back abroad

The Greek Migration Minister has denied Turkey’s claims that 12 migrants were frozen to death on the land border between the two countries after they were driven back to Turkey by Greek border guards. Children are also reported to have been among the dead.

Earlier Wednesday, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu tweeted that 12 migrants froze to death and were found near the Ipsala border crossing between Turkey and Greece “no shoes and no clothes.”

? 02.02.2022
? Greece Ipsala Border

12 of the 22 migrants pushed back by Greek Border Units, stripped off from their clothes and shoes have frozen to death.

EU is remediless, weak and void of humane feelings.

Greek border units thug against victims, tolerant towards FETO pic.twitter.com/EP1TOqsGCB

— Suleyman Soylu (@suleymansoylu)

Greek border units thug against victims, tolerant towards FETO pic.twitter.com/EP1TOqsGCB

— Suleyman Soylu (@suleymansoylu) February 2, 2022

“>February 2, 2022

The minister did not give details but shared blurry photos of the eight bodies found, including three in shorts and T-shirts.

Soylu accused Greek border guards of pushing the migrants, 22 in all, back across the border. He called the border guards “thugs”, and EU “helpless, weak and inhuman,” the news agency Associated Press.

The office of the governor of the province of Edirne, near the land border with Greece, said the dead included a migrant who died in hospital after being rescued by Turkish authorities, AP reported.

The deaths of 12 migrants on the Turkish border near Ipsala is a tragedy. Any suggestion that they were pushed back into Turkey is patently false. pic.twitter.com/X2YoROekHg

— Νότης Μηταράκης – Notis Mitarachi (@nmitarakis)

The deaths of 12 migrants on the Turkish border near Ipsala is a tragedy. Any suggestion that they were pushed back into Turkey is patently false. pic.twitter.com/X2YoROekHg

— Νότης Μηταράκης – Notis Mitarachi (@nmitarakis) February 2, 2022

“>February 2, 2022

Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarakis denied Turkey’s accusations: “The death of 12 migrants on the Turkish border near Ipsala is a tragedy. Any suggestion that they were pushed back to Turkey is obviously false.”

The deaths of 12 migrants on the Turkish border near Ipsala is a tragedy. Any suggestion that they were pushed back into Turkey is patently false. pic.twitter.com/X2YoROekHg

— Νότης Μηταράκης – Notis Mitarachi (@nmitarakis)

The deaths of 12 migrants on the Turkish border near Ipsala is a tragedy. Any suggestion that they were pushed back into Turkey is patently false. pic.twitter.com/X2YoROekHg

— Νότης Μηταράκης – Notis Mitarachi (@nmitarakis) February 2, 2022

“>February 2, 2022

“They never made it to the border. Instead of making unfounded claims, Turkey should fulfill its obligations by preventing these dangerous journeys at the source (river),” the Greek minister added.

This is far from the first time Turkey has accused Greece of illegally alienating migrants and asylum seekers. Greece has always denied such accusations, although in many cases, such denials have been unconvincing. In particular, the author of the publication witnessed how, in the spring of 2020, the Greek police, having caught a group of illegal immigrants at the border, kicked them back. However, denials and accusations are the work of politicians.

Like us previously reportedon an island in the middle of the Evros River, in the northern part of the prefecture, 28 migrants were trapped in the grave danger of being carried away by its rushing waters and drowning.

They were all rescued with the assistance of the 4th EMAK (Special Disaster Management Unit) and the Orestiada Fire Department. According to the police, the rescue operation of 21 men, two women and five children, which took place on Tuesday noon (1.02), involved ten authorized persons, firefighters and rescuers (ΕΜΑΚ και την Π.Υ. Ορεστιάδας).

Rescuers on a boat transported people in trouble to a safe place. According to the information available at the moment, the illegal migrants are in good health and have been taken to the Orestiada police station to carry out the procedures prescribed by law.

They were all rescued with the assistance of the 4th EMAK (Special Disaster Management Unit) and the Orestiada Fire Department. According to the police, the rescue operation of 21 men, two women and five children, which took place on Tuesday noon (1.02), involved ten authorized persons, firefighters and rescuers (ΕΜΑΚ και την Π.Υ. Ορεστιάδας).

Rescuers on a boat transported people in trouble to a safe place. According to the information available at the moment, the illegal migrants are in good health and have been taken to the Orestiada police station to carry out the procedures prescribed by law.

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