Greek border guards kill Syrian refugee on Turkey border

A Syrian refugee was shot dead by Greek border police on Monday, as police increased their assault on refugees trying to enter Europe.

The refugee, who was identified as Ahmad Abu Emad, was killed Monday morning by Greek police whilst trying to enter Europe, Syrian activist Asaad Hanna said.

His death came as thousands of refugees attempted to cross Turkey's western border with Greece after Ankara opened its side of the frontier.

Read also: Syrians step in to help Idlib father who offered to exchange kidney for a tent

Only dozens managed to pass through either border fences or fording the river there. 

Greek police attacked refugees with tear gas as they tried to push through.

Several hundreds held white flags, chanting "peace, peace", asking to be let through into Greece. 

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Turkey declared its borders open to pressure the EU into helping it handle the Syrian refugee influx. 

"All armies are killing Syrian people around the world," Hanna said.

Child dies

Meanwhile, Greek port police said a child refugee has died and another was hospitalised after a makeshift boat packed with dozens of migrants capsized off the coast of Lesbos. 

Two children were found "unconscious" after the vessel overturned at around 8:30am local time (6:30am GMT) in the Aegean Sea. One of them, a small boy, could not be revived, while the other was taken to hospital.

A further "46 people are safe" following the accident.

Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad lost huge swathes of the country following an armed uprising after the brutal repression of peaceful protesters in 2011.

According to UN figures, the Syria war has caused the greatest refugee crisis in the world, with at least 5.5 million people fleeing the country and more than 6 million more displaced inside Syria.

The UN estimated in 2018 that the war had caused nearly $400 billion in war-related destruction.

The Syrian war is considered to have caused the biggest wave of displacement since the Second World War, mostly due to regime and Russian bombing and shelling of civilian areas.

Agencies contributed to this report.

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