MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th March, 2020) The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) did not witness the use of tear gas in the standoff between migrants and border guards on the Greek-Turkish border on Thursday, IFRC spokesman Tommaso Della Longa told Sputnik.
According to media reports, tensions at the Greek-Turkish border escalated on Wednesday to such extent that both migrants and Greek border guards fired tear gas. IFRC delegation visited the scene earlier on Thursday.
"No," Della Longa said, when asked whether the delegation had witnessed the use of tear gas by either of the sides.
According to the Greek media, over 34,700 illegal border-crossing attempts were prevented and 244 people were arrested since early Saturday.
After aggravation of the situation in Syria's Idlib over the last weeks, Turkish president announced on February 29 that Turkey would no longer be able to restrain the flows of migrants and refugees, and opened its borders with the European Union. Soon after, thousands of migrants rushed to Turkey's border with Greece and Bulgaria to try to get into Europe.
