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Bulgaria has been accused of shooting a refugee after a new video emerged showing a young Syrian man being fired at on the border with Turkey.

It is the first footage of an asylum seeker being hit with live ammunition on the EU border.

It follows a joint investigation by Sky News, Lighthouse Reports, The Times, Le Monde, ARD Studio Wien, Domani and RFE/RL Bulgaria.

Footage taken on 3 October near the Bulgarian-Turkish border fence shows 19-year-old Abdullah El Rustum fall to the ground after a bullet goes through his hand and into his chest.

He has claimed he was shot by Bulgarian border officials after they caught his group illegally entering the country and pushed them back to Turkey.

“A green vehicle showed up with two Bulgarian officers in it. It came towards us and [they] started shooting in the air. They shot twice in the air and after that, they started shooting right in front of us on the ground,” he said.

“We didn’t get scared still and continued to argue this is not acceptable. ‘Why did you do this?’ After that, they hit me by shooting me directly,”

He added: “The way that he shot at me was a direct way and he intended to kill me.”

Bulgaria is part of the European Union and hopes to get membership of the Schengen area, which allows people to move freely across borders within it.

The country is often used as a gateway to get to other European countries.

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Mr El Rustum claims he was shot by Bulgarian border officials

Women searched in ‘sexual’ manner

Mr El Rustum claims an argument broke out after border officials searched women in the group in a “sexual” manner.

Mobile phone footage shows the group of asylum seekers throwing stones at the border fence from the Turkish side and swearing.

The tension then rises and a loud bang suddenly resounds through the forest.

A Land Rovery Discovery is seen in the mobile phone footage. We know these are used by the Bulgarian border forces
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A Land Rover Discovery can be seen in the mobile phone footage, which the Bulgarian border forces are known to use

The person shooting cannot be clearly seen, but it is known that as well as the refugees, the Bulgarian border forces were on the scene.

As part of the investigation, the footage was sent for analysis to Steven Beck, an audio forensic expert.

He analysed the waveform and spectre of the file and found that they were consistent with a muzzle blast from a small firearm fired in the direction of the person recording.

The audio waveform of the gunshot were consistent with a muzzle blast from a small firearm. Picture - Beck Audio Forensics
Image:
The audio waveform of the gunshot were consistent with a muzzle blast from a small firearm. Pic: Beck Audio Forensics

Refugees ‘threw stones’

In the video, the person filming is facing towards the Bulgarian border.

Photos provided by the Bulgarian interior ministry show damage they say was caused by the stones thrown by the refugees.

According to its statement, a border policeman of the Sredets Border Police Station was injured by a stone.

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Bulgaria released images of damage they say was caused by stones thrown by refugees

The government says that the group burnt objects, and was hostile and aggressive.

It says an investigation was carried out and found “no shots were fired from our side”.

Illegal migration is a massive problem for Bulgaria.

Image:
Bulgaria claim a border policeman of the Sredets Border Police Station was injured by a stone thrown

Read more on Sky News:
Braverman vows to do ‘whatever it takes’ to tackle Channel crossings
Albanians ‘should be barred’ from claiming UK asylum

From the start of the year to 27 November, 153,460 people attempted to cross the Bulgarian-Turkish border, more than four times higher than in the period last year, according to official figures.

“Aggression by third-country nationals against GDBP [General Directorate Border Police] officers has increased significantly in recent times”, the Bulgarian interior ministry has claimed, adding that border guards at the fence were attacked with stones and flammable objects, injuring colleagues and damaging property.

According to the statement, two interior ministry officers recently died while trying to stop a bus with illegal migrants in the city of Burgas.

‘Disturbing pattern of threats’

The surge in illegal immigration has also raised concerns about people being unlawfully pushed back.

Earlier this year, the United Nations’ refugee chief warned of a “disturbing pattern of threats, intimidation, violence” on the EU’s central and southeastern borders.

Pushbacks “entail a variety of state measures aimed at forcing refugees and migrants out of their territory while obstructing access to applicable legal and procedural frameworks”, according to the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights.

We travelled to the area near where Mr El Rustum was shot to try to find people crossing to Bulgaria.

It wasn’t long before we saw signs of asylum seekers on the move.

We found patches of ground littered with bottles, energy drinks, clothes and some Syrian snacks, makeshift rest areas before the long journey through the dense forests ahead.

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Refugees allegedly threw stones at a Bulgarian Border Force vehicle

‘It’s better than being dead’

We stumbled upon a terrified group of Syrians who told us they were hoping for new futures in Europe as they fled the war at home.

After gaining their trust they told us their stories.

A 15-year-old showed us scars on his side and head that he said he got from being beaten by Bulgarian authorities on a failed crossing. This was his eighth attempt.

“One time we crossed the fence, and the Bulgarian police arrested us and started hitting us”, he said.

“They released dogs on us and then sent us back naked just wearing shorts.”

He claimed he saw someone shot in the leg by Bulgarian authorities two weeks ago after they tried to escape. Others in the group talked of systematic abuse.

A man named Kenan said once he was in a group that was arrested and taken by car to a forest.

“They put us in a hut and undressed us. Then they left us with a dog.”

We asked whether he was frightened of further violence on his next attempt.

“It is better than death. It’s better than death,” he said, referencing the fighting back in Syria.

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Kenan said once he was in a group that was arrested and taken by car to a forest

‘More must be done’

And that’s the reality – fleeing war at home, most will risk beatings abroad.

The European Commission told Sky News that all border management must be rooted in respecting human dignity and the principle of non-refoulement.

Any allegations of violence or pushbacks are meant to be investigated by national authorities, according to Anitta Hipper, the EU Commission spokesperson for home affairs.

At a meeting at the end of November, EU home affairs ministers discussed the situation along all migratory routes and the challenges posed.

“In the past years, we have taken a number of measures to jointly address the migratory challenges we face”, Vit Rakusan, the Czech interior minister, representing the EU Council presidency, said.

“However, more can and must be done to find more sustainable solutions and adapt to the ever-evolving situation.”

The Bulgarian government denies the allegations, saying it follows international and domestic laws, adding aggression against border officials is increasing.

“Bulgarian security forces, with the help of Frontex, are on the front line every day to protect all European citizens,” the interior ministry said.

But the accusations are disturbing – threats, violence and intimidation routinely wielded on the edge of Europe.

Additional reporting by Dorothee Thiesing, Europe producer, and Adam Parker, OSINT editor.

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‘People were crying, they were trapped’: Spain reels from deadly flash floods

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'People were crying, they were trapped': Spain reels from deadly flash floods

Emergency responders are searching for bodies inside stranded cars and buildings following deadly flash floods in Spain that have killed at least 158 people.

Scenes of destruction have been left in the wake of the powerful floodwaters which hit the east of the country late on Tuesday and early Wednesday, marking Spain‘s worst natural disaster this century.

Cars have been piled high on top of each other, homes and businesses have been swept away, trees have been uprooted, and roads and bridges have been left unrecognisable.

Spain flooding latest: Looting breaks out as flood deaths rise

Damaged cars are seen along a road affected by torrential rains that caused flooding, on the outskirts of Valencia, Spain.
Pic: Reuters
Image:
Damaged cars along a road on the outskirts of Valencia. Pic: Reuters

People work to clear a mud-covered street with piled up cars in the aftermath of torrential rains that caused flooding, in Paiporta, Spain, October 31, 2024. REUTERS/Eva Manez
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People work to clear a mud-covered street in Paiporta. Pic: Reuters

At least 92 people have died in the worst-hit region of Valencia, while deaths were also reported in Castilla La Mancha and southern Andalusia.

An unknown number of people remain missing.

“Unfortunately, there are dead people inside some vehicles,” Spain’s transport minister Oscar Puente said.

In the Valencian district of La Torre, nine dead bodies were discovered inside a garage – with a local police officer among the victims.

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Man pulled from deadly floods

Luis Sanchez, a welder, said he saved several people from floodwaters rushing through the V-31 motorway south of Valencia city.

“I saw bodies floating past. I called out but nothing,” Mr Sanchez said.

“The firefighters took the elderly first, when they could get in. I am from nearby so I tried to help and rescue people. People were crying all over, they were trapped.”

Read more on this story:
Lives have been ripped apart in Spain
Floods hit ‘like a tsunami’ – eyewitness

Satellite images from NASA show how severe flooding has impacted Valencia and its surrounding towns.

The images, captured on 30 October, show large areas to the south of the city covered in floodwater.

The Turia river, which runs through the city, can be seen at a much higher level.

The Pobles del Sud, a large lake nearby, overflowed. Much of the area surrounding the lake was covered in floodwater.

The worst of the destruction was concentrated in Paiporta, a municipality next to Valencia city, where 62 people have been reported dead.

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Spanish town ‘worst-hit’ by floods

Mayor Maribel Albalat told national broadcaster RTVE: “We found a lot of elderly people in the town centre. There were also a lot of people who came to get their cars out of their garages… it was a real trap.”

What has caused the devastation?

The flooding events in Spain have been hard to witness. But the rainfall there could never have been anything but devastating.

Chiva, located just to the west of Valencia, received 491mm of rain in an eight-hour window.

Some 100-200mm fell in surrounding areas with the accumulation of running water producing apocalyptic scenes.

In addition there have been over 20,000 lightning strikes.

Whilst the rainfall totals are astounding in themselves, this part of the world is simply not accustomed to huge quantities of water falling from the sky.

In an average year, Spain would expect somewhere between 50 and 100 mm of rain throughout the entire month of October but Valencia and Andalusia would expect far less – just 60–70mm. 

So how did this happen? It’s attributable to a DANA, a “depresion aislada en niveles altos” or a “cut-off low”. 

This is a low pressure system which becomes slow moving or stationary, blocked by high pressure elsewhere, which can only keep shedding its rain over the same area for long periods of time.

These systems are not that unusual. They occur when cool air from the north is drawn across the Mediterranean in late summer and autumn when the waters are war. The temperature differential enhances storms and rainfall totals.

But whilst not uncommon, this one was certainly extreme. 

And it hasn’t gone yet. This same system has continued to bring further heavy rain and thunderstorms today, but it has now moved a little further north and east, heading toward the French border and currently remaining to the west of Barcelona. 

The rain and thunderstorms are likely to continue for a few days yet with the Tarragona and Castellon regions still under an amber warning while a yellow warning remains in force for both eastern and western Spain.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Thursday morning that Valencia had been declared a disaster zone and that the priority was to find victims and missing people.

He also urged those affected to stay at home as more torrential rain was forecast.

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“The most important thing is that I know Spanish people are aware that this phenomenon has not finished,” he said.

Sky News’ Europe correspondent Adam Parsons, reporting from Valencia, said the devastation suffered in the region is “enormous”.

“What we’re witnessing now are the locals here who are waking up and seeing what’s happened to their town and what has happened is something almost apocalyptic,” he said.

A nearby shop was left “absolutely wrecked” and looked like a “bomb has gone off in there”, he added.

Three days of mourning has been declared in Spain, beginning on Thursday.

Spain’s Mediterranean coast is used to autumn storms that can cause flooding, but this was the most powerful flash flood event in recent memory, and scientists have linked its strength to climate change.

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‘No one came to rescue us’: In this destroyed Spanish town, people are angry

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'No one came to rescue us': In this destroyed Spanish town, people are angry

In the Spanish town of Algemesi, people are angry.

The suburb of Raval was one of the worst hit by flash flooding but residents feel abandoned.

At least 158 people have been killed in the disaster in eastern Spain – with the worst of the flooding concentrated around the Valencia region.

Spain floods latest: Looting breaks out as flood deaths surpass 150

“When the alert came the water was already two metres high,” Carolina shouts from her balcony. “There were no police, firefighters or the mayor. No one came to rescue us.”

The distress is echoed street after street.

Carmen puts her head in her hands and weeps.

“They have lost everything,” she says, pointing at her neighbours’ houses.

Read more:
‘People were crying, they were trapped’
Utterly random damage in town where 40 died

Every home is in ruins and their owners are heartbroken.

Dolores shows us inside her house. She says the flood was up to the ceiling but because no help came, they have had to hammer holes in the walls to clear the water.

“I feel awful. I’m terrified and very afraid. My husband is sick – we need more help,” she says.

Carmen says her neighbours have lost everything
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Dolores says her family had to hammer holes into the walls of their home

The level of destruction is immense.

On the street, we meet Noel with his children. The youngest toddler barefoot in the mud.

Yesterday, Noel and his wife had nothing to eat. He feels helpless.

Noel says he doesn't have access to water, light or food
Image:
Noel says he doesn’t have access to water, light or food

“Right now, there are people who are trapped. The mud is up to their waists, so they can’t open their doors,” he says.

“I live on a high floor so I didn’t have problems with the flooding in my home, but I don’t have water, light, or food.”

There’s a growing feeling of desperation in this suburb.

At one point, someone shouts “food!” and people rush to grab what they can from a nearby shop.

It’s not clear if they have been let in by the owner or are looting.

The devastation is so great and at a time when people are at their most in need, they feel frustrated and alone.

In a nearby shelter we meet people from Algemesi who have been made homeless by the flood.

Carol says she has never felt so hopeless.

Carol says there is 'nothing left'
Image:
Carol says there is ‘nothing left’

“There was a tree trunk that came into the front of my house. There are no walls, no ceiling. I don’t have anything. There’s nothing left,” she explains, beginning to cry.

For many, the initial trauma of this natural disaster has been compounded in the aftermath by a feeling of loss and loneliness.

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Ukraine war: Thousands of North Korean troops near Ukraine border will enter battle ‘within days’, says Blinken

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Ukraine war: Thousands of North Korean troops near Ukraine border will enter battle 'within days', says Blinken

Thousands of North Korean soldiers are now positioned near Ukraine’s border and likely to enter combat in the coming days, the US says.

Russian troops have been training them in artillery, drones and “basic infantry operations, including trench clearing”, said US secretary of state Antony Blinken.

He said it strongly indicated they would be used on the front line and would therefore become legitimate targets for Ukraine.

Some 10,000 North Korean troops are in Russia, including up to 8,000 in the Kursk border region, Mr Blinken said.

The troops are wearing Russian uniforms and carrying Russian gear, according to US defence secretary Lloyd Austin.

Read more: Where have North Korea troops been seen in Russia?

“We’ve not yet seen these troops deploy into combat against Ukrainian forces, but we would expect that to happen in the
coming days,” Mr Blinken said on Thursday.

More on Antony Blinken

America’s top diplomat said the recruitment of troops from North Korea to Russia’s “meat grinder” was a “clear sign of weakness”.

South Korea and the US discussed the issue in Washington on Thursday. Pic: Reuters
Image:
A South Korean and US delegation met in Washington DC. Pic: Reuters

Mr Blinken made the assessment after he and Mr Austin met their South Korean counterparts in Washington DC.

Foreign minister Cho Tae-yul called for the immediate withdrawal of North Korean soldiers from Russia and condemned it “in the strongest possible terms”.

They also all agreed China should do more to rein in North Korea, Mr Blinken said, adding that he’d had a “robust conversation” with Beijing this week.

Image:
The Kursk region borders eastern Ukraine

Mr Austin also announced that – with the US election just days away – America would soon be announcing new security assistance for Ukraine.

The deployment of troops to Russia is down to the close relationship between President Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.

The leaders last met in June when Mr Putin travelled to North Korea for the first time in 24 years.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un together in Pyongyang in June. Pic: Reuters
Image:
President Putin and Kim Jong Un went for a drive together in Pyongyang in June. Pic: Reuters

A mutual defence pact was agreed during their summit, meaning the countries will help each other if they are attacked.

The US says North Korea has also given munitions to Russia as it continues its grinding effort to take more territory in Ukraine’s east.

The White House published images earlier this month which it said showed 1,000 containers of equipment being sent to Russia by rail.

There are concerns about what military aid Russia will now provide in exchange.

North Korea test-fired an an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time in almost a year on Thursday and there is speculation Russia may have provided technological help.

South Korean TV showed pictures of Thursday's launch by the North. Pic: AP
Image:
South Korean TV showed pictures of Thursday’s launch by the North. Pic: AP

In a statement, the US, Japan and South Korea condemned the launch as a “flagrant violation” of UN resolutions.

“We strongly urge (North Korea) to immediately cease its series of provocative and destabilising actions that threaten peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and beyond,” they said.

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