Shots fired at border: 53-year-old Greek border guard in intensive care (video)

Shots were fired from the Turkish side in Evros last night. A border guard wounded in the stomach has undergone surgery and is in intensive care.

Greek authorities are investigating the circumstances under which the shots were fired. The most likely scenario is that the shooter was a migrant smuggler. It remains unknown whether the Turkish authorities were mobilized after the incident or whether they took any measures. In theory, patrols should have been organized on the Turkish side to identify and arrest illegal traders, but none were carried out.

Expected, writes CNN that Greece will ask Turkey to investigate. Earlier, Greek police ELAS released a statement saying:

“Today, Saturday 20 July 2024, at around 18:20, in the remote area of ​​Soufli-Evros, Greek border guards were patrolling the area. During an operation to prevent the illegal entry of immigrants from Turkey, they were shot by unknown persons who were on the Turkish side. The incident is being investigated by the competent Greek authorities.”

The injured border guard with a gunshot wound to the abdomen was taken to Didymoteicho Hospital. He miraculously survived, doctors say. As reported by thesstoday.gr, there were only two millimeters missing from a possible fatal outcome – the bullet pierced and hit his small intestine, he could lose this organ. During a successful operation, doctors removed the bullet, the man is in the intensive care unit of Didymoteicho Hospital.

Greek authorities are alarmed by a strange incident involving shooting at border guards patrolling the remote area of ​​Soufli. The shots were fired from the Turkish side, but from where exactly is currently unknown. Journalist Yannis Ziakas in the breaking news bulletin OPEN told that The incident occurred when a group of illegal immigrants unsuccessfully attempted to cross the border. The most likely scenario is that the shots were fired by a trafficker, although the authorities' investigation will provide definitive answers. The shooting was carried out with a pistol. People who know the area well and deal with cases of migrant trafficking every day understand that this episode is different from the others.

It took place at a point where Greek border guards come face to face with Turkish gendarmerie almost every day. Thus, pulling the trigger – even within the framework of the considered rollback scenario – indicates, according to competent sources of the publication, provocative actions on the part of the Turkish side.

It is characteristic that the Greek border guards are armed with a 9-gauge pistol to protect the border, unlike the Turks, who carry heavy combat weapons. Both sides know this. The Greek authorities are considering two scenarios: the criminals are traffickers of illegal immigrants or Turkish border guards.

Greek authorities have informed Turkish authorities of how the incident occurred, asking Turkey to conduct an investigation on its territory and find out who is part of the illegal group of immigrant traffickers who opened fire on Greek border guards yesterday.

Special teams will be sent to the scene of yesterday's bloody incident today to continue patrolling and investigating. A message came in this morning that the border guard's health is improving.

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