More than 76,000 migrants leave Turkey for EU

Turkey has opened its borders with Greece for 76,000 migrants and refugees, according to the interior ministry, in an apparent attempt to pressure the EU over the crisis in Syria.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced he had opened the borders on Friday following an escalation of fighting in Idlib province and the death of 33 Turkish soliders in an air strike.

Almost immediately thousands of people began massing at crossing points, prompting Greek authorities to fire tear gas and stun grenades to prevent them breaking through.

Shortly before 10am at local time on Sunday morning, interior minister Suleyman Soylu announced that 76,358 people had left Turkey through the city of Edirne.

That figure is more than double the number that had crossed as of 9pm on Saturday, increasing the pressure on Greek authorities at crossing points along the 212km border.

The UN’s International Organisation for Migration said staff had already observed at least 13,000 people gathered at the formal border crossing points at Pazarkule and Ipsala as well as multiple informal crossings.

“Most of those on the move are men but we are also seeing many family groups travelling with young children,” said IOM Turkey chief Lado Gvilava.

“We’re distributing meal boxes and other basic supplies in the city but the temperatures are dropping to nearly zero and the wind it quite bad so we’re concerned about these vulnerable people who are exposed to the elements.”

Other migrants attempted to make the short sea crossing from the Turkish coast to the Greek islands. At least three dinghies carrying migrants arrived on the Greek island of Lesbos on Sunday morning. _Agencies

Dhaka/AKA