1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
Crime

Iranian shot near Serbian-Hungarian border

December 3, 2016

An unknown attacker has fired on a group of migrants walking along a Serbian highway, hitting one of them near the Hungarian border. The victim was hospitalized with a stomach wound and is now in stable condition.

https://p.dw.com/p/2ThD7
Ungarn Horgos Grenze Flüchtlinge
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S.Ujvari

Serbian police are looking for the shooter, officials said on Saturday.

The 32-year-old Iranian was shot from an overpass in north Serbia, close to the Horgos crossing, while he was walking along a highway with two other people. The attacker allegedly used a rifle.

"The migrants have seen three men running away from the overpass," Hungarian state broadcaster M1 has reported.

According to unconfirmed reports, the migrant has been operated in the nearby town of Subotica and his injuries are not life threatening.

Karte Grenzzaun zwischen Serbien und Ungarn Englisch

Migrant brawling in Belgrade

Although all countries along the so-called Balkan migrant route have closed their borders in an attempt to control migration, the newcomers still attempt to move towards richer European nations. Local people smugglers have been finding ways to transport the migrants illegally.

Serbian officials claim that some 6,500 refugees are still in the country, including 1,500 who refuse to register in hope to continue their trip north.

Violent incidents between the migrants and the locals have been rare, although several people were injured in mass brawls among groups of migrants. Two weeks ago, an Afghan man was beaten and stabbed to death by other migrants in downtown Belgrade. Police arrested five people over the incident.

dj/rc (dpa, Beta)