Germany puts 4,000 troops on standby to help with refugee influx
By AFP 10 mins ago in World
Germany has placed 4,000 troops on standby for this weekend alone to help with incoming refugees, Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday.
The troops will be able "to help out in emergency cases" and more could be called up if necessary, she said, in remarks reported by the news weekly Der Spiegel.
Their watchword would be to exercise "maximum goodwill" toward the asylum-seekers, she said, according to pre-released excerpts from the article in Saturday's edition.
So far this year, 450,000 refugees have arrived in Germany, including 37,000 in the first eight days of this month, Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel told parliament on Thursday.
With thousands arriving every day, refugees are being housed in old schools, office blocks and even army barracks, with the army saying Thursday it was now putting up 14,500 refugees in 41 locations.
Von der Leyen said more refugees would be housed in military facilities, separated by security fences from soldiers’ barracks, which was already the practice in 17 locations nationwide run by the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces.
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