Serbia Toughens Action Against Migrants Along Border with Hungary - exclusive report

No longer tolerating the situation, Serbia rounds up illegal migrants in a bid to crack down on people smugglers.

Armored military vehicles, armed uniformed personnel, prisoner transporter trucks, buses indicate that major preparations are under way on the southern side of the Hungarian border fence. Serbia is deploying significant forces in a bid to crack down on migrants and human smuggling gangs.

Increased police preparedness in Subotica to curb migration (Photo: Magyar Nemzet)

Photos and reports published on news portals in Vojvodina and on social media sites show that many people's attention was captured by the arrival of armored vehicles and increased gendarmerie and military presence in northern Serbia.

There is a lot of preparation! There are a lot of people in military uniforms, there are jeeps and a bus in front of the culture center,

a man posted in the Facebook group created by residents in Horgos.

This is the village where armed migrants clashed in the early hours on Friday, leaving at least three illegal immigrants dead and one injured. The man adds that

That's a good thing, because they are finally dealing with the migrant issue again. Although it's bad that some tragedy must always happen to draw response from decision-makers in Belgrade

The presence of authorities was reinforced not only in Horgos, but also in the forested area along the border near Subotica (Szabadka). A reporter from Magyar Nemzet witnessed the rounding up of several migrants early on Saturday afternoon at the Makova Sedmica forest, where bloody showdowns took place previously.

Kurdish migrants in Subotica (Photo: Magyar Nemzet)

In response to Magyar Nemzet's question, the migrants claimed to be Kurds from Turkey and said they were returning from the forest after a failed border crossing attempt.

Migrants marching towards Subotica after a failed border crossing attempt (Photo: Magyar Nemzet)

When they spotted the police officers standing guard nearby, they tried to slip into a store. The officers followed the migrants and removed them as they could not prove their identity.

Police check migrants in Subotica (Photo: Magyar Nemzet)

Reporting on the presence of special forces in the region, Subotica-based Pannon RTV published an article accompanied by a number of photos showing police cars and armored military vehicles. "Special units and border police officers are also on site," the paper writes.

A woman from Subotica confirmed to Magyar Nemzet that more and more officers can be seen near the forest, but local residents are still afraid.

We don't dare to go near the forest, especially in the evening. I had a broken leg, I can't move fast,

Ilona Antunovics told Magyar Nemzet.

Amidst increased police presence, life in the Serb town goes on as usual. Ilona Antunovics sweeps fallen leaves ( Photo: Magyar Nemzet)

The Hungarian Pesti Sracok  online news outlet also reported on the increased military presence on the southern side of Hungary's border fence. The photos it published also show armored vehicles, which have never been deployed in previous police operations against migrants and human traffickers.

After 11 am, a large number of special anti-terrorist commandos (Say) of the Serbian army lined up at the peat mine and the fishing lake, alongside personnel from the gendarmerie and the national security service. Two armored vehicles, quads and  ATVs are waiting to be deployed, while military bases are being built at critical points outside the forest,

Pesti Sracok writes in its on the ground report.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Friday that Serbia would deploy its military to the Serbia-Hungary border, if necessary, to prevent clashes between migrants. Migrants committing crimes on the country's territory is unacceptable, Serbia's president added.

In a previous article, Magyar Nemzet quoted Vucic as saying in a television interview:

Migrants cannot use our territory for confrontation. We will put an end to this and, if necessary, we will also involve the army. Obviously, all is not well. We're going to end this. It's good for us in Belgrade, where security is extremely high, higher than in all major European cities, but what are the people of Horgos and Kajiza to do

Serbia's president stressed that other countries have also deployed military forces if necessary, adding that in that case, "we will all see how these criminals and people smugglers disappear from the area in a day". Vucic sent a clear message that one way or another, the situation will be taken care of. 
Cover photo: Police round up illegal migrants in Subotica (Photo: Magyar Nemzet)