Hungary Prepares Military to Patrol Serbian Border, Resist Refugees Crossing

Hungary's military launched exercises on Wednesday as soldiers prepared for potential deployment at the Serbian border to resist tens of thousands of refugees crossing into the country.

Some 150,000 refugees have crossed into Hungary this year, with a further 40,000 expected to cross the southern border with Serbia next week, the BBC reports.

Budapest is considering deploying soldiers to assist Hungarian police at the border. Hungary is also building a 10 ft wall along its border after recently completing construction of a 175 km (110 mile) razor-wire fence.

"It is our job to make sure Hungary is defended," said Hungarian Chief of Staff General Tibor Benko.

The decision to deploy troops to the border is subject to a parliamentary vote which would not be passed before the end of September, according to German news site DW.

Elsewhere in Europe, Denmark has resumed rail links with Germany after closing the international train line on Wednesday as the country attempted to slow the influx of refugees heading north towards Sweden, reports British broadcaster ITV.

However, a busy ferry port between Germany and Denmark would remain closed "due to police work at the borders," Danish rail operator DSB said, according to news site The Local Denmark. Two trains spent Wednesday stuck in the port of Rødby after around 350 refugees on board refused to disembark and demanded to be taken to Sweden. After long negotiations with police, around 100 agreed to request asylum in Denmark and the rest were allowed to disembark without police intervention.

Denmark also temporarily closed a motorway linking Germany and Sweden on Wednesday after some 300 refugees began to walk along it.

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Conor is a staff writer for Newsweek covering Africa, with a focus on Nigeria, security and conflict.

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