ATHENS — In northern Greece, migrants clashed with police at a detention center, breaching a perimeter fence. Approximately 35 individuals escaped, but around half were recaptured by authorities, officials reported on Sunday.
Greece serves as a primary entry point for migrants into Europe, making migration a contentious issue domestically. The country’s conservative government has been implementing stricter migration policies.
Late Saturday, police reinforcements were summoned to the temporary accommodation center for asylum seekers in Sintiki, situated a few kilometers from the Bulgarian border, after migrants threw rocks at guards, according to police.
The facility houses around 450 individuals who are placed there while their asylum applications undergo processing, a procedure that can be prolonged.
Police special forces responded with flash grenades during the clashes, which officials stated continued until the early hours of Sunday.
Police announced the arrest of 17 escaped migrants, while searches persist for approximately 18 others. Five additional individuals were injured and hospitalized.
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