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Twelve refugees froze to death in Edirne, northwestern Turkey, near the country's border with Greece, Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu announced today (February 2).
The deceased were among a group of 22 refugees who were "pushed back" by Greece, according to the minister.
The Governor's Office of Edirne stated that bodies of nine refugees and one person who was about to freeze to death were found in the Mandakoru area near the Paşaköy village in the İpsala district.
The person who was taken to the hospital died there and search and rescue teams later recovered the bodies of two more refugees, said the governor's office, adding that efforts to find other refugees were underway.
Sharing the photos of the deceased refugees on his Twitter account, Minister Soylu wrote in English, "12 of the 22 migrants pushed back by Greek Border Units [and] stripped off from their clothes and shoes have frozen to death."
"EU is remediless, weak and void of humane feelings," he wrote, adding, "Greek border units [are] thugs against victims [but] tolerant towards FETO [Fetullahist Terrorist Organization]."
02.02.2022
— Süleyman Soylu (@suleymansoylu) February 2, 2022
Greece Ipsala Border
12 of the 22 migrants pushed back by Greek Border Units, stripped off from their clothes and shoes have frozen to death.
EU is remediless, weak and void of humane feelings.
Greek border units thug against victims, tolerant towards FETO pic.twitter.com/EP1TOqsGCB
Athens denied Soylu's accusation that the refugees were pushed back by Greece.
"Any suggestion they did, or indeed were pushed back into Turkey, is utter nonsense," said Notis Mitarachi, Greece's minister of migration and asylum.
Human rights groups and the UNHCR have criticized Greece over the refugee push backs, which Athens has never admitted.
According to a 2016 agreement between Ankara and Brussels, Turkey is committed to keeping refugees from Syria from crossing into European countries in exchange for financial support for the refugees. (TP/VK)
