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The number of refugees who died from the cold in Edirne, a northwestern province bordering Greece, has risen to 19 as search and rescue teams recovered seven more bodies today (February 3).
Yesterday, 12 people were found in the border district of Ipsala, with 11 of them frozen to death and one suffering from hypothermia, who later died in the hospital.
CLICK - Twelve refugees freeze to death near Turkey's border with Greece
Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu said yesterday that the deceased people were among a group of 22 refugees pushed back by Greece's security forces. Greece's Minister of Migration and Asylum Notis Mitarachi denied Soylu's accusation.
Law enforcement forces and Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) workers have recovered seven more bodies since last night. Drones are also used in search efforts, said the Governor's Office of Edirne.
All the deceased refugees were adult men, the authorities stated. Efforts to reveal the identities of them are also underway. Refugees registered in Turkey can be found by fingerprints.
Minister Soylu blamed the EU for the incident, calling it "weak and remediless."
As part of a 2016 agreement between Turkey and the EU, Turkey is committed to keeping refugees from Syria from crossing into European countries in exchange for financial support for the refugees. (TP/VK)
