Donate

The migrant standoff at the Greek-Turkish border is on-going with Greek media reporting escalations from the Turkish side.

According to reports, two Turkish F-16 fighter jets violated Greek airspace in northern Evros.

It is believed that this is the first time Turkish fighter jets have ever violated Greek airspace in Evros. The majority of these violations have taken place over the Aegean Sea for decades, but none have occurred above the land border between Greece and Turkey.

According to the Greek National Defense General Staff, two Turkish F-16 fighter jets entered the Flight Information Region of Athens in the afternoon on March 11th and flew above Greek territory in Northern Evros, where the recent border crisis between Greece and Turkey is still playing out.

At several points, the Turkish jets flew at an extremely low height of only 500 feet, in a clear attempt to provoke the Greek side.

They reportedly also harassed a Greek helicopter, as it can be seen in the video above.

Later, on the same day, two other Turkish F-16 jets violated Greek airspace yet again, flying above the Greek islets of Kalogeri, northeast of the Cycladic island of Andros.

On the evening of March 10th, near the eastern Aegean island of Kos, a Turkish speedboat rammed a Greek Coast Guard vessel.

According to a video uploaded on Twitter, the Turkish vessel is seen approaching the Greek boat at speed. A Greek officer shouts to the rest of the crew that they have been hit at the stern.

He is heard shouting: “They broke our rails. We are in our (own waters) and they hit us. They damaged our stern.”

While everyone thinks its calm in the #Aegean because there are no refugee boats arriving in the islands, #Greece ‘s @HCoastGuard is being dangerously harassed by a Turkish vessel.

Exclusive footage obtained by @BILD shows what is really happening away from the media. #Turkey pic.twitter.com/KB2bosbWNO — Liana Spyropoulou (@LSpyropoulou) March 11, 2020

Earlier in March another incident occurred off Lesvos where a Turkish Coast Guard vessel was filmed harassing the Greek Coast Guard.

And, indeed, on March 11th, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkish vessels will chase Greek boats in the Aegean Sea.

“They will run away and we will chase them. That’s how it will be from now on,” Erdogan said.

In addition, Greek Media Kathimerini reported of claims that there was evidence of a sharp increase in aggressive behavior by Turkish security forces in both the Aegean and at the Evros land border.

On the evening of March 11th, officers of Turkey’s special forces fired over a Greek military vehicle that had been stationed on the Greek side of the border, according to the outlet.

Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted at Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendieas asking him if he saw the New York Times report, claiming of a Greek “migrant black site,” that’s established on the claims of 7 unnamed US officials.

MORE ON THE TOPIC:

Donate