Turkish soldiers and police special forces have made a permanent presence within Greek territory and have camped in the pocket of Apiary at Feres to enhance their presence learned GDC citing Greek newspapers Army Voice.
The incursion took place on Friday (AEST) and was reportedly a response to a Greek army survey of the 1.6-hectare site as part of plans to build additional border fences.
Initially, about 10 Turkish soldiers and police special forces set up a tent inside Turkish territory. Armyvoice.gr even secured a photograph from the early days of their presence there.
But then these forces began to strengthen, reaching 35+ people, and entered Greek territory, in which they have proceeded to deforest.
To explain a little better, it is known that the Evros River that serves as the border on maps between Greece and Turkey sometimes shifts east or west, creating alluviums on both sides. Turkey refuses to acknowledge that some of the land on the eastern side of the Evros River still belong to Greece, even if the river changes its natural course.
Turkey has now decided to claim the land on the eastern side of the Evros for itself with its de facto occupation.
Recently, Greek Army Geographical Officers visited the area to study where the poles will be set up to expand the Evros dam, making it more difficult for illegal immigrants to cross into Greece.
The presence of the Turkish Armed Forces shows Ankara’s intention to create a military problem. It is the same area where two Turkish soldiers were arrested in 2018.
It should also be noted that in 1955, an agreement was signed between Greece and Turkey for the construction of anti-flood works, which provided for the alignment of a number of parts of the river.
Special forces and infantry set up a camp with a small Turkish flag flying from a tree and rejected Greek demands to withdraw. Longstanding disputes over the position of the border arise from the fact the Evros River, which marks it out, often shifts its course.
Relations between Greece and Turkey have long been tense, but have been particularly so since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974.
The invasion was launched purportedly to stop the military junta in Greece establishing a union between Greece and Cyprus, whose population included both Greek and Turkish Cypriots.
Turkey’s provocations towards Greece have mounted under hardline President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Four times in recent weeks, Greek soldiers and German border agency staff have been shot at over the border and Turkish F-16 fighter jets have frequently had to be chased out of Greek airspace.
Greece is reportedly trying to de-escalate tensions through diplomatic channels and has not yet made an official response reports Turkish news agency Hürriyet Daily.
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