Refugees Spend the Night on the Beach in Lesbos Island

* Photos & news: Anadolu Agency (AA)

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

After Turkey opened its borders for refugees who want to leave the country for Europe, several refugees have gone to Lesbos Island of Greece. Arriving in the island, they are faced with the reactions of far-right groups.

Lesbos Island is the first stop of refugee boats in Greece and hosts the most crowded refugee camps. Right-wing extremists who do not want any more refugees in the island have closed the roads leading to the Moria Camp, where the arriving refugees are registered.

CLICK - Refugees Stuck at Turkey-Greece Border Attacked with Plastic Bullets, Tear Gas

Around a hundred refugees, including women and children, have to spend the night on Skala Skamnia beach for two days.

Struggling against the cold, refugees are afraid of being subjected to the violence of extreme right groups in the island.

They attacked journalists

The same group also attacked the journalists who filmed them while they were trying to prevent refugees from coming ashore.

CLICK - Chaos and Tension Prevail in Lesbos Island

What happened?

Governor of Hatay Rahmi Doğan made a statement on February 28 and announced that 33 soldiers of Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) lost their lives in an airstrike in Syria's Idlib.

Speaking at CNN Turk, ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Spokesperson Ömer Çelik said, "Turkey's refugee policy has not changed, but Turkey will no longer be able to hold the refugees."

After Turkey announced that it would not prevent refugees from trying to reach Europe, the refugees in Turkey started to mobilize, heading for the border gates and seas to leave Turkey for Europe. They started to leave Turkey by sea and land, setting off for dangerous journeys.

Lead Spokesperson for the External Affairs of the European Union (EU) Peter Stano made a statement about the issue, reiterating that "the refugee deal with Turkey still stands."

"From our point of view, the EU-Turkey statement, which was basically conceived in order to manage the irregular migration, this deal, this statement still stands and we expect Turkey to uphold its commitment", Stano said and added that "as the world's largest refugee-hosting country, there is no change in Turkey's policy towards refugees and asylum seekers." (TP/SD)