The first group of refugees and migrants were deported from Greece Monday as part of a deal between the European Union and Turkey, NBC News reported.
About 130 migrants, mostly from Bangladesh and Pakistan, boarded ferries from the Greek island of Lesbos en route to the Turkish port of Dikili, officials said. According to Frontex, the European border agency, another ferry that took off from Chios brought the total migrants transported to 202.
Turkey agreed to take back migrants who landed in Europe from its shores. In exchange, the EU has agreed to settle thousands of Syrians who reside in Turkey. The agreement put more than 10,000 refugees and migrants into limbo in Greece.
Human Rights Watch's Eva Cosse called Monday a "turning point" that could be a harbinger of a "gross violation of human rights."
