Greece tightens border security over fears of Syrian migrant wave

Greek border guards will be deployed to the northeastern Evros region, which shares a 212-km land border with Türkiye.

Greece has decided to deploy 2,000 additional border guards to its border with Türkiye amid fears of a mass migration of Syrian refugees fleeing an escalating conflict in the country.

The extra border guards will be deployed to the northeastern Evros region, which shares a 212-km land border with Türkiye. Greece currently has around 600 border guards in the area.

In addition, 26 floating barriers will be placed by Greece along the Evros River - considered the main gateway through which illegal immigrants attempt to enter the European Union.

"We want to 'seal' this river so that Greece is no longer used as a 'gateway' for illegal migrants, Greek Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias said on July 30.

According to EU statistics, more than 80% of illegal immigrants enter the European Union through the "soft" border between Türkiye and Greece. About 100,000 immigrants were caught while trying to cross the border between the two countries in 2011.

In an effort to tackle illegal migration, Greece has begun building a 12-kilometer (8-mile) fence along part of its border with Türkiye. The 13-foot-high barbed wire fence is expected to be completed by October 2012 at a cost of about $3.9 million.

The conflict in Syria has killed about 19,000 people since it began in March 2011 (according to UN figures based on figures provided by activists). About 200,000 Syrians have fled to neighboring countries, of which Türkiye has received about 88,000 Syrian refugees to date./.

According to VOV.vn - DT