Two migrants were killed and 18 injured in a ‘brawl’ in Bosnia and Herzegovina when authorities emptied a migrant reception centre in Bihac. Last night, 350 people were moved from Bihac to the Lipa camp, 50 kilometre’s away. Al Jazeerah reports that the camp in  Lipa was already congested, housing roughly 1000 people.

According to Al Jazeera, Bosnia has become a key transit route for migrants, many of whom hope to cross over into  neighboring Croatia.  Bihac regional spokesperson, Ale Siljdedic, said Wednesday’s incident involved migrants from Pakistan and Afghanistan who had reportedly been fighting each other. He said all the killed and injured  were Pakistani nationals.

It is unclear what sparked the clashes, although it’s thought that tensions could have been running high at the uncertainty fuelled by the move, and the prospect of yet another long journey. Regional authorities in northwest Bosnia have begun closing migrant centres in towns. They say other areas of the country should share the burden.

Al Jazeerah reports that the migrants who had been moved were dropped outside the camp in Lipa. They were left to spend the night in the cold.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International’s Balkans researcher Jelena Sesar said that it defied belief that hundreds of people were left to roam the streets and forests looking for shelter while a fully equipped center stood empty.

Umm Muhammed Umar