Greece, fearful of the influx of Afghan migrants, has fenced and monitored its border with Turkey

The Paper's reporter Nan Boyi

After the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, European countries began to worry about the influx of migrants from Afghanistan. Greece recently set up fences and surveillance systems in its border area with Turkey.

According to the BBC, Greece has set up a 40-kilometer fence at the border to prevent the influx of illegal immigrants. Greek Civil Protection Minister Chris Koydis said on Aug. 20 that the Afghan crisis could create new possibilities for migrants to flow into Europe, and "we cannot wait passively for the possible impact." Our borders will remain inviolable. ”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who on Aug. 19 urged European countries to take responsibility for migrants from Afghanistan, said Turkey had no intention of becoming a "warehouse for migrants to Europe" amid the turmoil that followed the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Turkey has already taken steps on its border with Iran, which is a key conduit for Afghan migrants into Turkey' territory.

This week, the rush of Afghans to flee the country has alarmed European politicians who fear the influx of new immigrants will foment the embers of far-right and populist movements. As elections in France and Germany approach, European politicians are resistant to Afghan immigration, according to the New York Times. The European Commission's commissioner in charge of internal affairs, Yurva Johansson, said on the 18th that the unstable situation in Afghanistan may increase the pressure on EU refugees, and she called on EU member states to prepare for the acceptance of Afghan refugees.

In the fall of 2015, ongoing fighting in the Middle East and North Africa forced millions of refugees to cross the border into the European Union, triggering the 2015 European refugee crisis. Some European countries fear that afghanistan's recent turmoil could reignite similar refugee problems.

Editor-in-charge: Chen Qinhan