Turkey claims Greek soldiers had ‘military drawings’

A Turkish newspaper on Thursday said that two Greek soldiers who were arrested after accidentally crossing the border are being investigated by Turkish authorities for alleged espionage.

According to Hurriyet daily, Turkish authorities have discovered “military drawings” during a search of the digital media on the soldiers’ personal mobile phones and on an encrypted phone, they were carrying at the time of their arrest on March 2.

The newspaper claims that the two soldiers are being charged with attempted military espionage and illegal entry into a restricted military area. This has not been confirmed.

A second lieutenant and a sergeant in the Greek army have been held in Edirne, Turkey since early March, when they strayed into Turkish territory. Greece has said the soldiers were on a routine patrol and accidentally entered Turkey during snowy and foggy weather.

The duo's parents have travelled to Turkey to be close to their loved ones.

Greece has said reports claiming that Turkey is planning to hold onto the soldiers in order to push for the extradition of eight Turkish officers seeking protection in Greece against accusations of being part of a botched attempt to overthrow Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016 are “unworthy of comment.”