ATHENS, Greece -- Greek and Turkish forces exchanged gunfire last week along their tense border but no casualties were reported, Greek authorities said.
A Greek official in Salonica, about 175 miles north of Athens, said the firing began when Greek troops challenged a Turkish patrol trying to spirit Iranian and other political refugees across the border illegally.
'Shots were exchanged and the firing lasted for about 15 minutes,' said the official, who spoke on the condition that he not be identified. 'Greek troops were 500 yards away from the Turkish border patrol.'
The semi-official Athens News Agency said the firefight occurred Thursday night on Delta Island in the Evros River. The agency said no casualties were reported.
The Greek official said soldiers along the border with Turkey went on alert after receiving reports Turkey planned to help thousands of refugees slip into Greece.
'There are about 10,000 Iranian political refugees in Turkey,' the Greek official said. 'Turkey does not want them and they themselves do not want to stay in Turkey. They want to go to the West so Greece is one step closer.'
In August, 28 Iranians and 12 Iraqis were jailed in Salonica for 14 months for illegally entering Greece from Turkey. They said they wanted to apply for political asylum in the United States, Australia or Canada.
Greek newspapers said that after the border incident, the Turkish patrol withdrew from Delta, a small island in Evros River, the border between Greece and Turkey. The reports said no refugees were able to enter Greece.
Greece, which has had strained relations with Turkey since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, maintains a close watch on its northern border. More than 1,000 Turks have crossed the border since 1980 in search of asylum.
Greek officials say they will continue to allow 'genuine refugee cases' the opportunity to seek political asylum.
