Migrant shot dead in Greece while trying to enter from Turkey

A person was shot dead on Wednesday from the Greek side when he was trying to enter Greece from Turkey, according to Turkish authorities, while the government in Athens has denied the incident. The dead man was hit in the chest when Greek military guards guarding the border fired tear gas canisters, plastic bullets and live ammunition. Five other people were injured, according to a statement by the Governor's Office of the Turkish city of Edirne.

The Greek military opened fire when a group of migrants tried to force their way into Greece around 11:00 this morning (8:00 GMT), the source said. “There have been no deaths from gunfire by Greek forces,” Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas denied. “Turkey manufactures and distributes false news. Today they have manufactured yet another one, of allegedly wounded by shots from Greek forces. I categorically deny it,” the spokesman said at a meeting with the media in Athens.

Although the press has been denied access to the border area where several thousand refugees and migrants have been camping since Friday, Efe was able to see on the ground that throughout the morning shots were heard at several points and dense clouds of tear gas were seen. In addition, a dozen ambulances have circulated in the border area.

An Iranian refugee who identified himself as Reza and who has been in the camp for four days, which has arisen near the fence between the two countries, explained to Efe that the Greek military usually uses tear gas canisters to repel those who approach the fence, but today they used plastic bullets for the first time. “They shoot at the lower parts of the body. The bullets do not penetrate the skin, but cause very painful wounds. They also use water cannons,” he said, pointing to the bandage on his ear that covers, he said, a wound he sustained during a Greek police charge.

Reza, a native of the Iranian city of Shiraz who has lived in Turkey for five years, said that some 15,000 people are waiting at the Pazarkule-Kastanies border crossing for passage to Greece and that the Turkish police no longer allow migrants to leave the area.

At the same time, dozens of Syrian, Iraqi, Afghan and Somali families are crowding at the police barrier to get close to the border, waiting for permission to enter. Those who have just arrived still hope to enter European Union territory. Others have already found that the Greek authorities are not allowing them to pass.