Syrian arrested in Russia in an attempt to enter Norway

KIRKENES.Storskog.Border.Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB scanpix

A Syrian citizen was arrested by Russian border guards when he tried to climb a barbed wire and cross the border into Norway.

Border Commissioner Roger Jakobsen tells The Independent Barents Observer that he has been informed by the Russian authorities about the incident, which occurred on 15 August.

“We were notified shortly after this happened and learned that the person had been arrested,” said Jakobsen.

It is the second time this summer that Syrians have tied to cross the border illegally. In July, two people were arrested not far from the border after a similar attempt.

On the Russian side there are barbed wire fences along the entire 196 kilometer long border to Norway.

If someone climbed over the fence, an alarm is triggered and the border guards are notified. The barbed wire fence runs between a few hundred meters and several kilometers from the border.

In autumn 2015, a total of 5,500 refugees were granted permission to leave Russia and enter Norway at Storskog. The so-called Arctic migrant route was closed late in November that same autumn.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today

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