EUROPE-MIGRANTS/MACEDONIA-ARRIVALS Migrants cross border from Greece into Macedonia

Record ID: 143210

  • Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/MACEDONIA-ARRIVALS Migrants cross border from Greece into Macedonia
  • Date: 20th August 2015
  • Summary: GEVGELIJA, MACEDONIA (AUGUST 20, 2015) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) MIGRANTS WALKING AND SLEEPING ON PLATFORM MAN SLEEPING ON GROUND MAN HOLDING HIS HEAD IN HANDS MIGRANTS AT TRAIN STATION TWO MEN LOOKING AT MOBILE PHONES THREE MIGRANTS SLEEPING ON GROUND MIGRANTS SITTING ON FLOOR MAN SITTING ON FLOOR WITH HAND ON HEAD CHILDREN SLEEPING ON GROUND NO-MAN'S LAND BETWEEN MACEDONIA
  • Embargoed: 4th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVADSDSTVIZMSQWT1UQO1HIP1LXX
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: More than 1,000 migrants, mainly fleeing from war-ravaged Syria, are being kept in no-man's land between Macedonia and Greece on Thursday (August 20), as police say they cannot handle the influx of people arriving in the area over the past few days.
    Police are letting people go to the nearby town of Gevgelija in small numbers.
    "It is hard, life here. We cannot sleeping, we cannot eating, it's so hard for us here," said Hosam Allali, who comes from the Syrian city of Aleppo, holding his four year-old daughter.
    "I will go to into Europe. Maybe Norway, maybe Sweden or Germany, I don't know now exactly, I do not know where I am going," Allali added, indicating that many migrants are arriving in Europe with little idea of their final destination.
    Rabee Orfahlle, another migrant, said the situation is worsening as the people have no food or water.
    "It is a very bad situation here," he said. "See at these people sleeping on the road. No one cares about us. We are here since yesterday and we sit here, sleep here. No food. No water. Nothing."
    Police are keen to keep the migrants outside of Macedonia, and so are keeping them in the no-man's land area until they can be moved on.
    At night, the temperature can reach lows of 16 degrees celsius, and for those sleeping outside, especially young children, the situation is becoming more dangerous.
    "Well we came at night time here, the weather is so cold in morning time. Especially the children, are getting sick," said an Afghani migrant Mohammed Yasin.
    Children play on the ground as dust is mixed with smoke coming from the little fires used by children and elderly people to warm their hands.
    They sit in trash that was left from previous migrants.
    "Well I will tell them (referring to authorities) that just please help us, we are also human beings we are just suffering problems. Think about our children," implored Yasin.
    Gevgelija, a small Macedonian town known for its casinos, is becoming a new frontline, like the island of Kos in Greece or the French port of Calais, in the growing migrant and refugee crisis engulfing Europe.
    On Wednesday (August 19), Macedonian police had to use rubber sticks and anti riot police were called to control migrants line desperate to get the train to Serbia.
    Many migrants have started carrying banners reading in English asking for help from European authorities as their plight continues.
    Migrant numbers across the EU have shot up in recent months. Many undertake dangerous sea voyages to reach southern Europe, then make their way across the continent to countries where they hope to make a life for themselves.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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