Greece opens new camps for migrants

Greece on Saturday opened two more of its new “closed” migrant camps on the islands of Leros and Kos that have been criticised by rights groups for their restrictive measures.

Greece was the main point where more than one million asylum seekers — mainly Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans — entered Europe in 2015 and its islands in the Aegean Sea are the main port of call from people arriving via Turkey in search of a better life in Europe. The crisis in Afghanistan has prompted fears of a new wave.

The “closed” camps feature barbed wire fencing, surveillance cameras, x-ray scanners and magnetic doors and gates remain closed at night. They also have many features, like running water and toilets, which were absent from previous facilities that became infamous for their living conditions.