United Nations warns of mounting refugee tension on Greek islands

‘The UN refugee agency has warned of mounting tension on Greek islands holding thousands of refugees, calling for more transfers to the mainland.
“On the islands the situation has become a bit more tense with additional arrivals … Lesbos, Samos and Chios is where the situation is the most tense,” Philippe Leclerc, the UNHCR representative in Greece, told reporters on Thursday.
“We need additional places… we need more support on the ground and to have more transfers from the islands to the mainland,” Leclerc added.
The call came as the EU announced an accommodation initiative to help relieve some of the strain.
Leclerc said over 8,000 people had been transferred to the mainland “lawfully” — there is no indication of how many more crossed with the help of smugglers — but more needed to be done.’
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