Some 6,000 Mideast war refugees and other third country nationals have been registered but are still present on various eastern Aegean islands, with more than half still on the island of Lesvos, Greek police announced.
Some 6,000 Mideast war refugees and other third country nationals have been registered but are still present on various eastern Aegean islands, with more than half still on the island of Lesvos, Greek police announced.
The congregation of third country nationals comes after migrant smugglers continued to ferry over people from the opposite Turkish coast, although the flow slowed this week due to rough seas in the area.
Moreover, 1,300 people remained camped out at the port of Piraeus’ passenger terminals, on the mainland, after arriving by ferry boat from the Greek isles.
Refugees, mostly Syrians and Iraqis, as well as irregular migrants from as far away as Morocco and Bangladesh, have flooded Greece over the past year in a bid to reach preferred destinations in central and northern Europe. Practically all of the refugees and migrants were trafficked or departed Turkey before landing on EU territory.