Syrian refugee sets himself on fire at Greek camp

Syrian refugee sets himself on fire at Greek camp
A 26-year-old Syrian refugee set himself on fire at a Greek migrant camp in Lesbos, where migrants live in poor conditions waiting to hear their fate.
2 min read
23 March, 2018
Migrant camps in Lesbos are over capacity and conditions are poor [Getty]
A Syrian man set himself on fire at a refugee camp on the Green island of Lesbos on Thursday.

The 26-year-old was slightly burned and treated at a local hospital for his injuries, an official told Reuters.

Local media reported the incident took place outside an asylum office at Moria camp, where conditions are poor.

The incident has been described as one of the most serious involving refugees stranded on the Greek islands in many months.

Moira camp holds at least 5,000 refugees, as does another camp on the island, more than their 3,000 capacity, with migrants waiting for months to hear their fate.

More than 60,000 refugees and migrants, most from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, have been in Greece for more than a year after border shutdowns throughout the Balkans, cutting off the route to central and western Europe. 

Lesbos was the main gateway to Europe in 2015 for nearly a million refugees. This month marks two years since the European Union and Turkey agreed a deal in which migrants arriving in Greece are returned to Turkey unless they qualify for asylum - but processing papers can take months and protests over delays are common.

About a dozen asylum seekers were treated after clashes with police in Moria and about 200 women and children were evacuated to a nearby warehouse last week.