CBS: Syrian Refugees Flooding into Europe to Escape ISIS

‘From Athens, most of the migrants we spoke to said they hope to travel to richer countries in northern Europe’

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O’DONNELL: “This morning migrants trying to escape war-torn Syria are making their way further into Europe. New video shows some crawling under a barbed wire fence in Hungary. One estimate says up to 3,000 refugees a day will arrive in Southern Europe until November. Clarissa Ward is in Lesvos, Greece. More than 180,000 refugees have crossed into that country this year. Clarisse, good morning.”

WARD: “Good morning. This entire coastline is covered with rubber dinghies and lifejackets that have been abandoned by hundreds of migrants who are making the journey every day from Turkey, here to the Greek island of Lesvos.”

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WARD (voice-over): “At first it just looks like a speck in the distance, but as it gets closer, human forms can be made out. Syrian refugees packed onto a small rubber dinghy. As they reach the European coast and a chance of a new life, there is jubilation. Some are simply overcome after the arduous journey. Sixteen-year-old Juwan [ph] made the difficult decision to leave his family in Aleppo.

WARD (on screen): “Why did you leave Aleppo?

UNKNOWN MALE: “Because of the war and too my bombs. Not safe there.”

WARD (voice-over): “Up to a thousand refugees are arriving on the Greek island of Lesvos every day. The threat of refugees has raised tensions in this cash strapped country where resources are already stretched thin. The euphoria of arriving in Europe is quickly tempered by the challenges of the journey ahead…”

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