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Afghan refugee shot dead trying to enter Bulgaria from Turkey

A group of over 50 migrants attempted to cross the border from Turkey near the southeastern Bulgarian town of Sredets

SOFIA, October 16. /TASS/. A refugee from Afghanistan was shot dead overnight on Friday by the Bulgarian police as he tried to cross the country’s state border from Turkey in a group of some 50 more migrants.

Bulgarian Interior Ministry’s Chief of Staff Georgy Kostov told the country’s national radio that the police was forced to use weapons, when a group of over 50 migrants attempted to cross the border from Turkey near the southeastern Bulgarian town of Sredets.

"The most probable cause for the death of the refugee was a ricocheted bullet as police fired in the air to stop migrants," Kostov told the national radio.

"A border patrol of three people encountered a group of over 50 young people, who put up resistance when apprehended," Kostov said. "The patrol fired in the air to stop them. One of them was wounded, probably as a result of a ricochet, and eventually died."

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov left the summit of the European Union, underway in Brussels on October 15-16, as soon as he was informed on the shootout on the state border with Turkey.

EU President Donald Tusk told a press briefing after the first day of the summit, which focused on the migration crisis in Europe, the Bulgarian premier had informed him of the decision to fly back to Bulgaria.