Germany: Refugees leave Bavarian border town on Celle-bound train

Over 100 refugees who stayed overnight in shelters in Freilassing in Bavaria, near the Austrian border, boarded a train bound for Celle, Thursday. The refugees were provided with food and supplies by aid workers and a large police presence was visible at the station. Around 150 refugees are expected to make their way on board the 11:00 (09:00 GMT) train from Freilassing to Celle, where temporary accommodation has been set up to house them. Germany has emerged as the priority destination for many Syrian refugees travelling to the EU after Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that the country would suspend the Dublin regulation, essentially granting Syrian asylum seekers special status. Authorities estimate that up to one million people could apply for asylum in Germany by the end of 2015. At a meeting earlier this week European leaders agreed to resettle 40,000 migrants across the EU, however they did not agree on redistributing 120,000 refugees as European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had previously proposed.