Bosnia: Homeless refugees forced to return to burnt-down camp

920 migrants at the Bosnian-Croatian border had to spend nights in a burned and unheated refugee camp. A total of 2,000 refugees have been holding out for days without shelter on the border with Croatia because the authorities cannot find room for them in existing refugee camps. A fire destroyed the Lipa camp, which was intended as a transitional camp, shortly before Christmas.

Hours earlier, after a dispute with the authorities, the International Organization for Migration had decided to have the camp evacuated because it was not winterized anyway. The organization could no longer guarantee the safety of the refugees. Many of the migrants in Lipa have already made numerous attempts to cross the border. The IOM head of mission speaks of a "desperate" situation. The condition of the refugees is rapidly deteriorating, he says. Overnight, he fears further frostbite and respiratory diseases.