Stranded migrants in Bosnia spark fears of humanitarian crisis

Demolition of Lipa camp near country's Croatian border leaves hundreds in wintry limbo

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Hundreds of migrants from a burned-out tent camp in north-west Bosnia have spent the night in buses after an attempt to relocate them failed, reflecting confusion in the Balkan country’s handling of the crisis.

The video above shows footage of the migrants and the arduous, wintry conditions with which they are contending.

Their plight worsened on Tuesday after buses sent by Bosnian authorities to transfer the migrants were cancelled after locals there organised protests to prevent the relocation. On Wednesday morning, migrants were still inside the buses, local media reported.

The Lipa camp near Bosnia's border with European Union member state Croatia was demolished in a fire last week, prompting warnings by EU officials and aid groups of a looming humanitarian disaster.

In June, the EU threatened to withdraw migrant support funding for Bosnia over its failure to provide adequate reception centres despite receiving money from Brussels.

The troubled Balkan country has been struggling with the influx of thousands of people seeking to reach western Europe. Bickering among Bosnia's ethnically divided authorities has prevented an organised response to the crisis, leaving about 3,000 migrants sleeping rough or in makeshift tents.

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