Stranded migrants battle police on Greece-Macedonia border

Clashes between riot police and migrants angry at being prevented from entering Macedonia from Greece have left up to 40 people injured. Macedonian soldiers raised a new fence on the southern border with Greece on Saturday to manage the migrants.

   Dozens of migrants, stuck in Greece after Balkan countries imposed tougher entry conditions, threw stones. Reports suggest that Macedonian police briefly entered Greece and fired stun grenades on the rioters. Macedonia's interior ministry says 18 police officers were injured, with two hospitalised. Some 20 migrants were treated for head injuries and breathing problems, aid groups told Associated Press news agency.

   The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says 105,000 migrants have passed through Macedonia after arriving in Greece this month. Throughout 2015, close to 720,000 migrants - mainly from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan - have arrived in Greece. The IOM says most then travel onwards through Macedonia. The most popular route for migrants sees them move further north towards Germany and Scandinavia.

Πηγή: bbc.com