200 African refugees and migrants land in Mytilene in one night

A total of 200 migrants and refugees, the majority of which were of African origin, arrived on the island of Lesvos overnight from four different spots. The sudden spike in arrivals on the island, which is overcrowded with about 6,000 migrants and refugees, has raised concerns that Turkey deliberately opened up enclosed refugee camps on its north-western coast hosting mainly African refugees and migrants, who then make the crossing into Greek waters. According to sources, thousands of refugees from north and central Africa have been arriving in Turkey in an effort to make the journey onto the Greek islands. Turkish human smugglers operating in Constantinople have been particularly active on the Turkish coasts opposite the island of Lesvos recently. They are charging African refugees between 300 and 500 euros per person and advising them to apply for asylum once they reach the shores of Greece to facilitate their journey towards the northern parts of the continent. According to the Greek police, there are currently 11,344 refugees and migrants registered on the northern Aegean islands. 5,772 of those are in Lesvos, 3,515 in Chios and 2,057 in Samos, while the number of those living outside the organised hotspots is unknown.

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