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Greece Beefs up Patrols Along Borders with Turkey

Anthee Carassava

   ATHENS - Greece is beefing up land patrols to stem a rising tide of
   illegal migrants trickling in from neighboring Turkey. With tensions
   between the two NATO allies at their highest in years, Athens fears
   Ankara may move to weaponize refugees, sparking a fresh migration
   crisis on top of a lingering energy dispute.

   Greek authorities say they are mobilizing scores of special border
   guards to scour sprawling fields and marshland along the Evros region
   that divides Greece and Turkey.

   Hundreds more will also be deployed on Greece's Aegean islands to stop
   illegal sea crossings.

   United Nations statistics show that illegal land entries into Greece
   from Turkey, have doubled in the last month alone, stoking concerns of
   a new migration crisis as tensions between the feuding countries have
   flared over energy rights in eastern Mediterranean Sea.

   Migration Minister Notis Mitarachis explains the Greek position.

   "We want Turkey to conform to agreements it has signed to stem the flow
   of illegal immigration," he said. "Any attempt to weaponize the
   suffering of refugees for geopolitical interests will not be
   tolerated."

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