WASHINGTON – The U.S. State Department's spokesperson, Morgan Ortagus, issued a statement regarding the fires at the Moria village in Lesvos. His full statement follows:

“We are deeply saddened to hear of the fires that consumed the Moria Reception and Identification Center on the Greek island of Lesvos, which has resulted in the further displacement of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers.  The United States is coordinating with the Government of Greece, the European Union, and our humanitarian partners to assess needs, and we continue to provide humanitarian assistance, including critical aid such as food, water, shelter, and protection to vulnerable refugees and migrants in Greece.  Over the past year, the United States has provided more than $8 million in humanitarian assistance to assist vulnerable people in Greece, including nearly $5 million to support the COVID-19 pandemic response.

We appreciate the Government of Greece’s efforts to coordinate with the international and humanitarian communities in order to relieve the suffering of the most vulnerable individuals.”