Greece deploys sound wave guns on Turkey border

Greece has begun using two sound cannons at the Greek-Turkish border to help prevent illegal crossings by refugees and migrants into Europe, the Daily Mail reported on Wednesday.

The Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), also known as a sound cannon and sonic weapon, is a less-lethal weapon used for crowd control by emitting loud chirping sounds that cause pain and permanent hearing damage, creating controversy surrounding the device’s use on humans. The LRAD primarily functions as a form of long-range communication and a method of scaring away wildlife from airports and energy-based facilities.

The two such devices have been set up in the Greek province of Alexandroupolis alongside the Evros River, which Greece intends to push back crowds attempting to enter Europe via the land border or sea, the British newspaper said. The river runs along the border between Greece and Turkey.

Additional border guards, four drones, 15 thermal cameras, 10 armoured vehicles and five dinghies have been sent to bolster border security as well, the Daily Mail said.

Turkey had agreed to prevent attempted crossings into Europe following a 2.3-billion euro deal with the European Union in 2016. But in February, Turkey announced that it would stop policing the border, prompting an influx of thousands of refugees at its northeastern frontier with Greece.

In the summer, human rights organisations reported Greek authorities violently expelling asylum seekers and migrants back to Turkey, in some cases confiscating and destroying their belongings.