Twelve Syrian refugees flown to Turkey from Greece

LESBOS, Greece

Twelve Syrian refugees were flown to Turkey from the Greek island of Lesbos Wednesday in accordance with a recently-agreed EU deal, a Frontex spokesman said.

The refugees included two children and four women, who are expected to be provided with shelter in southern Turkey’s Adana province.

According to Frontex spokesman Ewa Moncure, the refugees had not applied for asylum in Greece and only wanted to return to Turkey.

Five Turkish policemen had accompanied Frontex officials in the plane.

On Tuesday, the number of migrants sent to Turkey stood at 374.

Signed on March 18, the EU-Turkey agreement allows for the return of “irregular migrants” to Turkey from Greece in exchange for Syrian refugees to be relocated within the EU. The first batch of returnees arrived in Dikili on April 4, followed by a second group four days later.

The deal also provides a €6 billion ($6.8 billion) aid package to help Turkey care for millions of refugees, visa-free travel for Turkish nationals within the EU, and fast-tracked EU accession for Turkey.

It is aimed at breaking the human-smuggling gangs who have been trafficking refugees across the Aegean Sea, resulting in hundreds of deaths.

According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 154,000 people have crossed the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece so far this year and 376 have died during the voyage.