Twelve migrants found frozen to death near Turkey-Greece border

The partially clothed bodies of 12 people have been found inside Turkey close to the border with Greece, after they apparently froze to death.

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu posted blurred images on Twitter showing the bodies lying by the roadside near the north-western border town of Ipsala with some wearing only shorts and T-shirts despite the cold.

He said the 12 were part of a larger group that had been “pushed back” by Greece.

“12 of the 22 migrants pushed back by Greek Border Units… have frozen to death,” Soylu wrote in English, saying they had been stripped of clothes and shoes. Temperatures in the area can fall to between two and three degrees Celsius (35.6 – 37.4 Fahrenheit) at night in late January and early February.

He accused Greek border guards of thuggish behaviour and said the European Union was “weak” and inhumane.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said it was “horrified” by the reported deaths.

“Mounting reports of pushbacks against people on the move at some European borders and many parts of the world are extremely concerning and should be investigated and action taken,” said Safa Msehli, a spokesperson for the IOM.

“We reiterate that such practices are prohibited under international law and should not happen under any circumstances,” she said. “The obligation and primacy of saving lives and prioritising the wellbeing and human rights of migrants are vital to the integrity of any border.”