Europe

Serbia tries to stem continued Balkan migrant flow

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Serbian army soldiers and border police officers patrol near the border between Serbia and Bulgaria, not far from the border crossing Vrska Cuka, some 250 km (155 miles) southeast of Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, Aug. 15, 2016. Serbia has recently deployed joint army and police patrols on its border with Bulgaria where migrants are crossing the border, mostly guided by people smugglers. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) (The Associated Press)

Serbian army soldiers listen to instructions before patrol near the border between Serbia and Bulgaria, not far from the border crossing Vrska Cuka, some 250 km (155 miles) southeast of Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, Aug. 15, 2016. Serbia has recently deployed joint army and police patrols on its border with Bulgaria where migrants are crossing the border, mostly guided by people smugglers. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) (The Associated Press)

Serbian army soldiers and border police officers patrol near the border between Serbia and Bulgaria, not far from the border crossing Vrska Cuka, some 250 km (155 miles) southeast of Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, Aug. 15, 2016. Serbia has recently deployed joint army and police patrols on its border with Bulgaria where migrants are crossing the border, mostly guided by people smugglers. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) (The Associated Press)

Serbian border guards say they have prevented over 2,000 migrants from crossing from Bulgaria and have caught 24 people smugglers in less than a month.

Serbia has recently deployed joint army and police patrols on its border with Bulgaria where migrants have been coming in through illegal routes, mostly guided by people smugglers.

Most of the migrants want to cross to Hungary before continuing to wealthier EU states.

Balkan nations closed their borders to migrants in March.

Serbia's military spokesman Jovan Krivokapic said Monday that 2,275 mostly Syrians, Afghans and Pakistanis have been turned back since the joint patrols were introduced on July 22. He says 454 migrants who were caught inside Serbia were transferred to refugee centers.