"Croatian police found a group of illegal migrants in the woods near the central town of Ogulin on Sunday. Among them were two small girls who were in poor condition and had to be taken to a local hospital, where they have recovered and have been released in the meantime," state agency Hina said.

The local police said in a press release on Tuesday that it was established during interviews on 17 October that the illegal migrants were Afghan nationals, and that two children in the group were in poor health. An ambulance was called and the children and their mother were taken to the General Hospital in Ogulin.

The hospital’s deputy head, Jadranka Francetic, said that one of the girls is a six-month-old baby and the other is eight years old. They suffered from diarrhea, dehydration and hypothermia when they were admitted to the hospital. In the meantime their condition has improved as a result of medical treatment and they have been discharged.

The police press release said that “all foreign nationals made an application for international protection in the Republic of Croatia and, on 18 October, they were transported to the Reception Center for International Protection Applicants.”

The mother and the children will join them at the Reception Center, according to the police.