Germany reintroduced temporary controls on its western and northern borders on Monday as part of efforts to combat irregular migration and cross-border crime, the interior ministry said.

Germany has announced plans to tighten control at all of its land borders as part of a crackdown on migration, placing restrictions on a wide area of free movement known as the Schengen Zone.

The checks began at the borders with France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Denmark before dawn Monday.