German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) findings indicate that the Turkish government purposely incited riots by planting members of its security services among crowds of migrants, German tabloid Bild reported on Friday.
The BND accuses Turkish forces of intermixing with migrants along the border and posing as migrants themselves, throwing rocks and other missiles at Greek forces in an effort to incite riots.
The findings were denied by the Turkish authorities, according to Bild, and the BND did not disclose further details on the allegations to the newspaper when asked to comment.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened the border to Europe in late February, with Greece recording over 50,000 attempts by migrants to illegally cross the border by mid-March.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday said migrants had pulled back from the border with Turkey, with reports citing coronavirus fears as the reason.
“Apparently, the makeshift camp that had been created after (March 1) has been dismantled and those who were at the Evros border (area) have moved away,” Mitsotakis told a cabinet meeting via teleconference.
The migrants were evacuated by bus to facilities where they will be quarantined for two weeks to make sure they have not been infected with the new coronavirus, Turkish news agency DHA reported.
Mitsotakis on Friday said the move would not alter Greece”s plans to bolster its border fence.
“A chapter may be closing, but have no doubt that this battle continues,” the PM told ministers, according to his office.
“(There is a need) to strengthen the fence and reorganize forces without complacency,” the PM”s office said.
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