"The army has sent slightly over 1,000 soldiers for the first time for a police operation to ensure security [by assisting refugees]. Today, both southern Burgenland state as well as southern Styria were strengthened with soldiers," the statement said.
The ministry noted that assistance in transporting refugees and providing them with food remained the main tasks for the military.
On Friday, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz urged the creation of so-called safe zones in war-torn Syria as a measure to prevent more refugees from arriving in Europe.
Over 500,000 migrants and refugees have arrived in the European Union since the beginning of 2015, according to the European Commission. According to the International Organization for Migration, almost 40 percent of the refugees arriving in Europe are from Syria.
