Bosnia police say 2 migrants killed in apparent clash

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — Bosnian police said Friday that two men were killed in an apparent clash among migrants in a northwestern region near the border with Croatia.

Thursday's incident happened amid stepped-up movement of migrants in the Balkan region toward Western Europe following the easing of measures against the new coronavirus.

A police spokesman said officers responded to a call from locals who reported a clash between migrants in a small village outside the town of Cazin toward the Croatian border.

On their way to the village, police found two bodies with stab wounds on the road and several migrants trying to help them, spokesman Ale Siljdedic told The Associated Press.

The victims did not have identification documents with them and an investigation is underway to resolve the incident, he said.

Thousands of migrants have been stuck in the Balkan countries during the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. Those in Bosnia want to cross into European Union member Croatia and move further west from there.

Siljdedic said about 100-150 migrants arrive daily from other parts of Bosnia to his northwestern region near Croatia. He said police expect the flow to pick up as the weather gets warmer.

Migrants from the Middle East, Africa or Asia must cross a mountainous region in order to reach Croatia from Bosnia. Many spend months in Bosnia and make several attempts to cross before succeeding.

Croatian police have faced accusations of using violence to halt migrant entry, which they have denied.