Erdogan crackdown, Syria war seen fueling migrant flows to Greece

Political developments in Turkey, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's large-scale crackdown against opponents in the wake of the 2016 failed coup, and the humanitarian impact of war in Syria, are intensifying migration pressure on Greece, with authorities reporting a spike in arrivals on the Aegean islands but also across Greece's northwestern border with Turkey.

Over the previous week, a record 1,500 migrants and asylum-seekers crossed the Evros River border, most of them Kurds from Syria and Iraq, as well as self-professed critics of the Erdogan regime. Most turn themselves into Greek authorities, waiting to be formally identified and transferred to reception centers.

Greek officials are concerned that arrivals via Evros will rise as dry weather has resulted in lower water levels in the river.

Another key factor, military and police sources have told...