Clashes erupt on Greece-Turkey border as migrants seek entry

KASTANIES, Greece — Greek authorities fired tear gas and stun grenades to drive away a crowd of migrants making a push to cross the border from Turkey on Wednesday, as pressure on Greece continued after Turkey declared its previously guarded gateways to Europe open.

Turkish authorities said gunfire from the Greek side killed one person and wounded five others — an assertion the Greek government rejected as “fake news.”

The clashes were near the border village of Kastanies, along a border fence that covers much of the frontier not demarcated by the Evros river.

Turkey made good on a threat to open its borders and allow migrants and refugees to head for Europe last week. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s action triggered days of violent clashes at the Greece-Turkey land border.

Thousands of migrants and refugees have gathered at the frontier, and hundreds more have headed for the Greek islands from the Turkish coast.

The office of Ekrem Canalp, governor for the Turkish border province of Edirne, said a migrant was killed and five wounded after Greek police and border units fired tear gas, blank rounds and live ammunition at migrants gathered between the Turkish and Greek border crossings of

Pazarkule and Kastanies.

Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas categorically denied any migrants had been wounded or killed by Greek authorities. The Greeks said Turkish police were firing tear gas at Greek authorities, and supplied video they said backed their assertion.

Reporters on the Greek side of the border said they heard what sounded like gunfire, though it was unclear whether it was live ammunition.