Macedonia Considers Fence to Keep Out Refugees
Macedonia is weighing up whether or not to follow Hungary’s example and construct a large fence to keep refugees, including Syrians, out of the country as more people fleeing violence arrive in Europe each day.
“We too will need some kind of physical defense to reduce illegal border crossing … Either soldiers or a fence or a combination of the two,” Macedonian foreign minister Nikola Poposki said on Thursday, as reported by Al Jazeera English.
Between 3,000 and 4,000 refugees arrive in Macedonia each day, the minister added. Most are en route to Western Europe.
“There is no European consensus on how we can handle this question,” he said.
ISIS Making Chemical Weapons for Syria, Iraq: U.S.
The Islamic State (ISIS) is making chemical weapons for use in Syria and Iraq, a U.S. official told the BBC, claiming that the militant group has a cell dedicated to building such weapons.
“They’re using mustard,” the official, whose name was withheld, said. “We know they are.”
Last month, ISIS was accused of using mustard gas in Marea, a town near Aleppo, Syria’s largest city.
Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s forces have also been accused of using chemical weapons. In 2013, the Syrian military allegedly used chlorine gas in rebel-held eastern Ghouta.
U.S. to Take In 10,000 Syrian Refugees
The U.S. is increasing its resettlement plan to include 10,000 Syrian refugees, said Whitehouse spokesperson Josh Earnest.
Some 10,000 Syrian refugees will begin to be resettled in the U.S. starting in October, the beginning of the fiscal year. This compares with fewer than 2,000 throughout the previous year, reports the New York Times.
Many Republicans lashed out at the president’s decision, accusing him of enabling the entry of “terrorists” into the country.
“Our enemy now is Islamic terrorism, and these people are coming from a country filled with Islamic terrorists,” said Representative Peter King, a Republican from New York. “We don’t want another Boston Marathon bombing situation.”
Recommended Reads
- Al Jazeera English: Germany: 800,000 Refugees – and Then What?
- The Guardian: Israel Adds Voice to Concerns over Russia’s Role in Syria
- The Guardian: Syria’s Exodus Isn’t a European Problem – It’s the Whole World’s
- BBC: Syria’s Armenians Look to Ancient Homeland for Safety
Top photo: Syrians sleep in the streets of Turkey as they wait for smugglers to contact them about their departure date to Europe. (Associated Press/Marko Drobnjakovic)