Info Migrants, 1 Sept 2026
AAN research is quoted in this news article as context:
Research by the Afghanistan Analysts Network describes how Afghan migrant-smuggling networks in the Balkans have become increasingly professionalized, transnational and, in some locations, violent criminal organizations that compete for control of border crossings and, in certain cases, have shifted from charging smuggling fees to using extortion, kidnapping and ransom demands as revenue streams.
The report notes the emergence of armed groups such as BWK (often understood as “Balkan Warriors Kabul”), which have been accused of kidnapping migrants traveling with rival groups, detaining and abusing them, and demanding ransoms from their families, including in cases involving entire families with women and children. While the Belgrade kidnapping does not establish a link to such groups, it fits a broader pattern in which restrictive border policies and tighter controls have not eliminated smuggling but have altered its organization and, in parts of the route, driven its criminalization.
Revisions:
This article was last updated on 8 Sep 2026
