Slovenia saw an increase in migrant and refugee arrivals in 2022. More than 32,000 people crossed into the country irregularly last year, according to national police. That's three times as many as in 2021.
According to a spokesperson from Germany’s interior ministry, 12,945 migrants were returned from Germany during the course of 2022, a slight increase on the previous year.
Greece has announced a further extension of its border fence with Turkey, aimed at stopping migrants. The government also repeated a call for Europe to show "solidarity and a fair sharing of duties."
Switzerland recorded some 52,000 cases of unauthorized entry last year, almost three times as many as in 2021. Most of the migrants apprehended were reported to be of Afghan and Moroccan nationality.
The tragic story of Fawwaz as told by his relatives to ANSA bears many similarities to that of many Syrians, betrayed and cheated by human smugglers and soldiers when crossing borders.