Greece's migration minister said Tuesday that the government will use force, if necessary, to move homeless migrants to a new tent city after fires at an overcrowded refugee camp left thousands of people without shelter on the island of Lesbos.

Some 12,000 people fled the fires that gutted the Greek island's Moria camp last week. Many are refusing to leave a nearby road where they have camped out for almost a week, fearing they could be detained at the tent city for months.