UN says more refugees, migrants came to Greece by land from Turkey than by sea in April

More refugees and migrants crossed into Greece over its land border with Turkey than came by sea in April, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday. The UNHCR also called on the Greek authorities to improve reception facilities in the country. According to the agency, some 2,900 people arrived in Greece through the Evros river crossing so far this month, most of them Syrian and Iraqi families, Reuters reports. That equals half the estimated arrivals for 2017 overall. Nearly a million refugees and migrants crossed from Turkey to Greece’s islands in 2015. That route all but closed after the EU and Ankara agreed a deal to stop the flow in March 2016. Under the agreement, anyone who crosses to the Greek islands must qualify for asylum or face deportation to Turkey. The land border does not fall under the agreement.