A Syrian migrant seeking to cross from Turkey into Greece died from injuries on Monday after Greek security forces intervened to prevent the passage of migrants gathered on the border, a claim that Athens has denied, Reuters reported, citing two Turkish security sources.
The incident occurred after the Turkish government opened its border last week to let migrants reach Europe, saying it anticipated an imminent migrant wave from Syria’s Idlib region due to an escalation of conflict there.
A witness told Reuters the incident had occurred some 40 meters from Turkey’s Ipsala border gate with Greece. It was not clear how the migrant had been wounded.
A Greek government spokesman said a video circulating on social media showing a young man with wounds to the head laid out on the ground was “fake news.”
“We call upon everyone to use caution when reporting news that furthers Turkish propaganda,” spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Twitter.
More than 10,000 migrants have attempted in recent days to cross into Greece from Turkey’s land border. Guards have fired tear gas into crowds caught between the fences in no-man’s land.