Greek police spray tear gas at border

Migrants continuing to try to enter from Turkey

EDIRNE, Turkey — A group of migrants on Saturday tried to bring down a fence in a desperate attempt to bust through the border into Greece while others hurled rocks at Greek police. Greek authorities responded by firing volleys of tear gas at the youths.

At least two migrants were injured in the latest clash between Greek police and migrants gathered on the Turkish side of a border crossing near the Greek village of Kastanies. As in previous confrontations this week. officers in Greece fired tear gas to impede the crowd and Turkish

police fired tear gas back at their Greek counterparts.

Groups of mostly young men tied ropes onto the fence in an attempt to tear it down. Some shouted, “Allah is Great,” while others shouted, “Open the border.”

It was not immediately clear what caused the two migrants’ injuries. A Greek government official said the tear gas and water cannons were used for “deterrence” purposes.

Thousands of migrants headed for Turkey’s land border with Greece after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government said last week that it would no longer prevent migrants and refugees from crossing over to European Union territory. Greece deployed riot police and border guards to repel people trying to enter the country from the sea or by land.

Erdogan plans to be in Brussels on

Monday for a one-day working visit. A statement from his office did not specify where he would be during his visit or the reason why he’s heading to the EU’s headquarters.

The announcement came hours after EU foreign ministers meeting in Croatia on Friday criticized Turkey, saying it was using the migrants’ desperation “for political purposes.”

In a statement Saturday, the Greek government said that around 600 people, aided by Turkish army and military police, threw tear gas at the Greek side of the border overnight. It also said there were several attempts to breach the border fence, and fires were lit in an attempt to damage the barrier.

“Attempts at illegal entry into Greek territory were prevented by Greek forces, which repaired the fence and used sirens and loudspeakers,” the statement read.

Giannis Papanikos The Associated Press Greek police officers guard a border fence in Kastanies as migrants gather on the Turkish side during clashes on Saturday.