Fire and Clashes Break Out at Moria Camp on Greek Island of Lesbos

Following a fire outbreak at the Moria camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, clashes erupted between police and refugees. The United Nations representative for refugee affairs in Greece stated that a child and a woman lost their lives in these clashes.

Greek police confirmed that at least one person was killed following clashes between refugees and police. However, the UN representative for refugee affairs in Greece reported the death toll at two people.

The UN representative for refugee affairs confirmed in a tweet that a child and a woman lost their lives in the fire and clashes at the Moria camp.

A spokesperson for Greece’s Ministry of Health also stated that the number of victims could potentially reach three.

According to police, the first fire broke out outside the Moria camp in an olive grove at 5 p.m. local time. However, shortly after, the flames spread into the camp.

A Greek police spokesperson told the French news agency that camp residents were responsible for both fires. According to the police spokesperson, they are demanding to be transferred from the island of Lesbos to mainland Greece. The police official emphasized that both fires have been contained.

Police also stated that after the fire spread to the residential area of the camp, clashes broke out between refugees and police.

Currently, camp residents are attempting to occupy the deportation section of the camp. The situation is not fully under control at present, and local authorities have requested increased police presence.

Images and videos shared on social media show a large plume of smoke covering the sky above the camp.

Arash Hampay, a refugee rights and homelessness activist in Greece, posted a video of the fire inside the camp on his Twitter account, reporting on the delay of firefighters and police withdrawal according to refugee accounts.

The Moria camp on the Greek island of Lesbos resembles a prison with strict security measures and minimal amenities; tall walls, long rows of barbed wire, watchtowers, and a large number of police and security personnel.

Inside the camp, refugees are forced to live in tents without heating facilities and use dirty bathrooms and toilets. Outside the camp, there are also refugees wandering who are deprived of even these “facilities.”

The Moria camp has a capacity of three thousand refugees but houses more than 12,000 people.

Source: DW