Greece moves 635 asylum seekers from overcrowded island of Lesbos to mainland via passenger ship
Some 635 people, mostly families, boarded a passenger ship on Monday for facilities in northern Greece
-
Greece began moving hundreds of asylum-seekers from camp on the island of Lesbos that holds around four times number of people it was built for
-
Over 11,000 refugees, migrants, most of whom have fled war, poverty in Middle East, Asia, Africa, are holed up at Moria in Europe’s biggest migrant camp
-
Some 635 people, mostly families, boarded a passenger ship on Monday for facilities in northern Greece
Lesbos: Greece began moving hundreds of asylum-seekers on Monday from a camp on the island of Lesbos that holds around four times the number of people it was built for. Over 11,000 refugees and migrants, most of whom have fled war or poverty in the Middle East, Asia or Africa, are holed up at Moria in Europe’s biggest migrant camp.
Representational image. AFP
Some 635 people, mostly families, boarded a passenger ship on Monday for facilities in northern Greece, and more were due to leave later in the day. Moving asylum-seekers from island camps to the mainland is part of government measures announced on 31 August to deal with the rising numbers. All of Greece’s five formal island camps are over capacity.
Moria, which is a disused military base, has been criticised by humanitarian organisations for its squalid living conditions. It currently holds the highest number of people in three years and violence is not uncommon. An Afghan boy was killed in a fight there last month and women have told aid groups they often feel unsafe.
Related Articles
Greece is Europe’s main gateway for Syrian, Afghan and Iraqi asylum-seekers, and accounts for more than half of the 56,000 migrants who have landed on the Mediterranean’s northern shore this year. The numbers are small compared to the nearly 1 million people who fled to northern Europe through Greece in 2015, as a deal between the EU and Ankara in March 2016 all but cut off the flow. But they have still piled pressure on Greek facilities.
About 7,000 people landed on Greece’s shores last month, the highest number since the deal was signed. Last Thursday alone, more than a dozen boats arrived with around 600 migrants, prompting the government’s Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence to hold an emergency session. To curb the influx, Greece also plans to tighten its border controls and speed up deportations of rejected asylum-seekers.
also read
'Afghanistan': Two-thirds of population face food insecurity
A large number of country's population is food insecure, including 875,000 children facing acute malnutrition, as per the report.
"Have legitimacy to serve...looking forward to India's response": Afghan Envoy on appointment of Charge d'Affaires by Ta
Stressing that he is Afghanistan's legitimate representative, Mamumdzay said that he has shared his concerns with the Indian government and is awaiting a response
Afghanistan name spin-heavy squad for Sri Lanka ODIs with eye on World Cup
Ace spinner Rashid Khan and experienced spin-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Nabi will be assisted by Mujeeb Ur Rahman and fast-rising Noor Ahmad on the Sri Lanka tour.