Dikili (Turkey) – The first two ferries taking migrants mostly Pakistanis deported from the Greek island of Lesbos on Monday morning arrived in Dikili (Turkey).
Mayor of Dikili, Mustafa Tosun, said the migrants, would first go through the camps set up on the dock for health check and registration.
He said the first ferry carried 72 while the second had 62 people onboard.
“Today we expect 200 migrants to arrive in Dikili, and after their registrations, they will be sent to the refugee center in Kirklareli with three buses.
Tosun said the Greek authorities had informed the Turkish side of another ferry on its way to Dikili carrying 66 more from the Greek island of Chios.
Governor of Izmir, Mustafa Toprak, said the migrants would not stay in Dikili, rather they are going to be sent to the temporary refugee center in northwestern province of Kirklareli.
Report said there was a heavy police presence on the dock in Dikili, denying media access to the migrants.
It added that Turkish Red Crescent has provided the new arrivals with food and other humanitarian supplies
Meanwhile, hundreds of Dikili residents, including those visiting the town, have staged a rally in protest against the arrival of the deported migrants.
They also voiced their growing concerns about insecurity, job loss and declining economy with the presence of the newcomers.
A source said on condition of anonymity that Turkey itself is facing an array of challenges at home and abroad on top of hosting about three million refugees, mostly Syrians, with a string of deadly attacks having hit the country in recent months.
He said under a deal finalised last month with the European Union, Ankara agrees to take back those who have crossed illegally into Greece via Turkey from March 20 and are deemed ineligible for asylum.
The source said in return, the EU would resettle the same amount of Syrian refugees being sheltered in Turkey, with the number capped at 72,000. (Xinhua/NAN)