Greek authorities deny Turkish media reports of fatal border shooting involving illegal migrants

Greece’s relevant public order minister on Monday referred to “fake news”  in the wake of several same-day reports by Turkish media claiming a fatal shooting at the land border between the two countries in the northeast Thrace region, separated by the Evros River.

Turkish media claimed an Afghan man was killed near the village of Alibey, in the Edirne vicinity.

Nevertheless, back in Athens, Greek Police (EL.AS) sources said no incident occurred over recent days at the border, while Minister Takis Theodorakakos referred to “fake news” and accused official Turkey of once again “instrumentalizing” irregular migrants.

Turkish media claimed Greek forces opened fire against a group of eight Afghans trying to illegally enter Greece from Turkey, with one man fatally shot.

The repots out of the neighboring country come amid a crescendo of recent threats, saber-rattling and ultra-nationalist rhetoric emanating from the Erdogan administration, its political allies and much of the now AKP-owned press against Greece.

The same region witnessed a failed attempt by Ankara in March 2020 to assembly and then push forward illegal immigrants into Greece by “rushing” the border.