Greece treats migrant flows as national security issue as hundreds reach its islands

Groups of locals on Lesvos have been blocking small harbors and streets across the island since Sunday, obstructing the disembarkation of new arrivals and their transfer to Moria camp, demanding that thousands of people be transferred to the mainland.

With a population of about 86,000 people, Lesvos currently hosts about 19,400 people at Moria refugee camp, while the center's capacity is about 2,800, according to official data.

Out of the about 90,000 stranded in Greece, more than 42,000 refugees and migrants are currently hosted on five islands in northeastern Aegean, according to data from Greek authorities.

Last week, Turkey decided to open its border gates for illegal migrants after at least 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib, the last rebel-held stronghold.

Around 1.5 million Syrian refugees, fleeing from the bombardments of Syrian forces in Idlib, have also flooded Turkey's border with Syria.

The Turkish government has been repeatedly announcing that it could no longer take the burden of refugees as the country is already hosting over 3.7 million Syrians.