Migrants clashed with police and cut through a perimeter fence at a detention center in northern Greece, leading to the escape of 35 individuals before authorities recaptured approximately half, officials reported Sunday.
The incident occurred late Saturday at the temporary accommodation center for asylum seekers in Sintiki, located a few miles from the Bulgarian border. Police reinforcements were deployed after migrants began throwing rocks at guards. The facility houses around 450 people awaiting the processing of their asylum applications.
Police special forces responded to the situation using flash grenades, with the clashes continuing into the early hours of Sunday. Authorities reported that 17 of the escaped migrants were arrested, and searches were underway for approximately 18 others. Additionally, five individuals sustained injuries and were transported to a hospital.
Greece serves as a significant entry point for migrants into Europe, and migration remains a sensitive political issue within the country. The current conservative government has been implementing stricter migration policies.