Task force to deal with refugees arriving in Croatia

The Croatian government announced it would set up a task force on Thursday for dealing with the refugee crisis after the first wave of refugees hit the country on Wednesday.

A total of 892 refugees arrived in Croatia throughout the day till Wednesday evening, Xinhua reported, citing the interior ministry..

Police said 373 refugees, including 225 men, 75 women and 73 children, were received by Tovarnik police station.

Some 163 refugees took three buses to arrive at the Jezevo centre, east of the Croatian capital of Zagreb. Most of them were women and children along with a few middle-aged and younger men.

A train that set out to pick up refugees in the eastern border town of Tovarnik arrived in the eastern city of Vinkovci on Wednesday afternoon.

Croatian Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic on Wednesday said Croatia was ready to receive the first wave of refugees numbering around 1,500 people.

The refugees came to the Serbian border town of Sid early in the morning on buses.

Ever since Hungary closed its borders on Monday and Tuesday, the refugees have started percolating through Serbia and Croatia on their journey towards Western Europe.

Hungarian riot police on Wednesday fired tear gas and water cannons at protesting refugees, trying to enter the country at its border with Serbia, according to media reports.