Two citizens of Afghanistan were caught by officers of Russia’s Federal Security Service in Armenia as they illegally crossed the Armenia-Turkey border, the press office of the security service’s border division in Armenia reported Friday, July 8.

According to the press release, local residents, working in immediate vicinity of the border on Wednesday, saw a stranger approaching from Turkey’s territory to Arax River’s bank.

They informed the border guards who embarked on discreet observation straightaway.

Taking advantage of the shallowness of Arax, he crossed the river and tried to hide in bushes but was caught immediately.

In a few moments, another intruder was found and captured.

The arrested offenders said they are citizens of Afghanistan, trying to reach the EU countries through Armenia.

The wrongdoers had a bag with personal baggage and two Nokia phones.

On the same day, the intruders were handed over to the Armenian national security agency.

Major General Anatoly Mikheev, chief of the border department of Russia’s Federal Security Service, decided to reward the local residents.