EU teams to patrol Greek-Turkey border
Posted
Rapid Border Intervention Teams (RABIT) from the European Union (EU) have been sent to the Greek-Turkish border in an effort to curb an influx of illegal migrants from Africa and Asia.
The European Commission says the flow of illegal migrants entering Greece has reached alarming proportions.
Greece is the first country to ask for help from the EU's border intervention teams.
The Commission says hundreds of migrants from northern Africa and war zones like Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan have flooded through the Greek-Turkish border in recent weeks.
The border guards will answer to Greece and will be armed, but can only use their weapons for self defence.
The deployment comes a week after a UN expert said migrants in Greece are frequently held in inhumane conditions due to filthy and overcrowded detention centres, poor police training and a spike in arrivals.
Search ABC News
Featured Video
-
Video
Shoe thrower Peter Gray says it was 'necessary' to throw his shoes at John Howard because of his decision to go to war against Iraq.
-
Video
Former prime minister John Howard has dodged a pair of shoes thrown at him by an anti-war protester.
-
Video
A Texan resident captures on film the destructive power of a tornado as he drives his vehicle through it.
-
Video
A British quadriplegic suffered severe brain damage after his nurse erroneously turned off his life support.
The ABC News Online Investigative Unit encourages whistleblowers, and others with access to information they believe should be revealed for the public good, to contact us.
