Turkey's state-run news agency says the coast guard has recovered the bodies of seven more migrants off Turkey's Aegean coast, raising the death toll in the migrant tragedy to 25. The Greek coast guard says that a total of 406 migrants have been rescued at sea off three Aegean Sea islands in six separate operations. NATO has announced that the alliance is expanding its mission in the Aegean to shut down the smuggling of migrants to Greece and into Europe, and said it included greater cooperation with European Union border agency. The stretch of Mediterranean between NATO allies Greece and Turkey is a key area where smugglers have been bringing tens of thousands of migrants into the European Union. Tsipras said that in facing a potential flow of millions of migrants, the EU is feeling the consequences of "unreasonable ... imperialistic interventions" in the Middle East that have destroyed organized states, an apparent reference to Iraq and Syria. Turkey's state-run news agency says 18 migrants have drowned off the Turkish coast while trying to reach Greece. Anadolu Agency says the coast guard rescued 15 other migrants off the Aegean Sea resort of Didim. Greek police officials say Macedonian authorities have imposed further restrictions on refugees trying to cross the border, saying only those from cities they consider to be at war can enter.
 |
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.sfgate.com |