“I tried to run away, but they caught me near the front gate. They hit me very hard. They beat me when I fell on the ground. I was very scared”

The respondent is an 18-year-old boy from Syria. He described a violent incident that took place at an informal living site near Sombor, Serbia, on October 20th, 2023, around 8 AM. This incident involved an estimated number of 50 people, including men, women, and children. 

The respondent described four black police Jeeps that arrived at the informal living site where he stayed. Several people wearing all black uniforms and black ski masks covering their faces, whom he identified as Serbian Gendarmerie officers, entered the site. He described that they had large dogs with them, but kept them leashed. Though the exact number of officers is not known, other people on the move who witnessed the eviction estimated there were around 15 officers. According to the respondent, the Gendarmerie officers entered the building and started to break down the doors to some of the bedrooms. There were many people on the move, sleeping inside at the time. Some of them tried to run away when the officers entered, but were apprehended. The officers started rummaging through people’s personal belongings, flipping beds and mattresses. They reportedly searched through suitcases, dumping clothes and personal belongings on the floor. The respondent described that any electronic devices that were found were destroyed. Those who had been apprehended had their phones smashed or taken. 

The respondent also attempted to run but was caught outside the building. He described that the officers started to hit him as he ran past them. He fell on the ground, got up, and tried to keep running, but the police apprehended him and started to hit him again. He sustained many injuries, including wounds to his face, head, and ribs, several of which were visible at the time of the testimony. “I tried to run away, but they caught me near the front gate. They hit me very hard. They beat me when I fell on the ground. I was very scared.”

Outside of the house, families with women and children were reportedly rounded up and taken away in four large black vans. Nobody present at the time of the testimony knew where they were taken to, or how many people were taken. Witnesses estimated that around 50 people were taken away in total. According to the respondent, the police stayed at the site for around four hours, they searched the surrounding area for people who had escaped. Some witnesses described that some local Serbians had assisted the police in their search.