14 Images That Show Just How Desperate Refugees Are To Reach Safety In Europe
More than 1,000 refugees and migrants forded a swollen river in an attempt to cross from Greece to Macedonia.
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Macedonian police detained refugees who crossed a swollen river from Greece Monday and sent them back to a makeshift camp.
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Greek authorities told the Associated Press that scores of refugees had been returned to the waterlogged tent city in the village of Idomeni.
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And a Macedonian police official said Tuesday that they had sent about 600 migrants and refugees back to Greece, Reuters reported.
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A thousand refugees and migrants made a mass crossing at an unguarded section of the Greek/Macedonia border Monday.
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The migrants and refugees were seen desperately attempting to cross the river, many carrying children and possessions on their backs.
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At least 1,000 managed to enter Macedonia after fording the stream. Up to 700 were detained as soon as they arrived.
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Three Afghan refugees are believed to have drowned while trying to cross the river, Macedonian state TV reported.
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The two men and a woman were part of a group attempting to cross near the village of Moin, four kilometers west of Idomeni.
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About 15,000 migrants and refugees have been camped at Idomeni hoping to travel to Macedonia for several weeks.
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Aid agencies say conditions in the border camps are appalling, with heavy rain leaving tents waterlogged.
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In a statement, Save the Children said Macedonian authorities were returning refugees, including children, "shivering, wet, and disorientated" back to the camps they had just fled.
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EU leaders and Turkey will meet this week to discuss a possible solution to the crisis, including sending all migrants and refugees in Greece back to Turkey.
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But charities have criticized the plan, calling it inhumane and legally flawed.
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Charities Say EU Deal With Turkey To Send Back Refugees Is “Inhumane” And “Legally Flawed”
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Alicia Melville-Smith is a homepage editor and reporter for BuzzFeed News and is based in London.
Contact Alicia Melville-Smith at alicia.melville-smith@buzzfeed.com.
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