Serbian military deployment considered to end shooting by migrants in Horgos

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic wants security in his country.

Horgos, 2023. október 27. A szerb rendõrség által lezárt egykori Bácska birtok és a környéke Horgos közelében, ahol migránsok lövöldöztek 2023. október 27-én. Hajnali 3 óra körül kezdõdött a lövöldözés Horgos környékén, ahol az utóbbi idõben migránsok szálltak meg elhagyott birtokokat. A szerb rendõrség közlése szerint legalább három migráns meghalt, egy pedig megsebesült. MTI/Molnár Edvárd Fotó: Molnár Edvárd

The police have issued an official statement on Friday's shootings by migrants in Serbia. The Interior Ministry said authorities detained six illegal migrants after the clash in Horgos that left three dead and one injured. 

Four of those arrested are Afghan and two are Turkish nationals. The officers found automatic weapons and dozens of bullets in the buildings used by the migrants.

Weapons used by migrants near Horgos (Photo: Serbian Police 

A significant number of Serbian police and gendarmes have been deployed to comb through the area and the abandoned buildings in the immediate vicinity of the Hungarian-Serbian border after the shooting on Friday morning. The former agricultural estate, where migrants often hide, was temporarily sealed off. 

In the search operation Kikinda (Nagykikinda) police detained six foreign citizens on charges of the illegal production, possession, carrying and selling of weapons and explosives. However, the terse police statement does not reveal the identity of the fatal shooter(s).

Police found an automatic rifle with stocks of ammunition in the abandoned building where the shooting occurred and where the suspects were found. 

Bullets found in the migrant hideout near Horgos (Photo: Serbian police)

At the same time, while searching the vicinity, police officers found a second automatic rifle and 79 other illegal migrants who were transported to reception centers.

The injured migrant has received medical attention and police are continuing to work intensively to establish all the facts and circumstances of the incident, according to the press release. The six suspects who were apprehended are being detained for 48 hours.

In the meantime, the Serbian head of state has also reacted to the escalating situation in Horgos. In a television interview, Aleksandar Vucic said that Serbia will deploy the military to the Serbian-Hungarian border, if necessary, to prevent clashes between migrants. The Serbian president added that migrants cannot use the country's territory to commit crimes.

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?

 Vucic explained.

He 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. "Of course, people are worried," he added that he was also talking to the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians VMSZ/SVM President Istvan Pasztor about the matter. He stressed that both Serbs and Hungarians live in the area. 

I trust the Serbian police, but nevertheless I told Interior Minister Gasic that they either do what's necessary, or say that they are not capable of handling it. Give the place over and I'll send in the military and we'll clean everything up, arrest them and put them behind bars,

 the president responded to a question by the press in the Pink Serbian television program.

Cover photo: The former Backa (Bacska) estate, near Horgos, sealed off by Serbian police for shootings by migrants on October 27, 2023 (Photo: MTI/Edvard Molnar)