An illegal migrant suspected of fatally stabbing Polish soldier Sgt. Mateusz Sitek with a makeshift knife through the Poland-Belarus border fence in May has been identified and is believed to be hiding in Western Europe, according to General Arkadiusz Szkutnik, commander of Operation “Safe Podlasie.”
The suspect, reported by Wirtualna Polska to be a Moroccan national, is being actively pursued by European law enforcement authorities but has so far evaded capture.
The attack occurred on May 28 near Dubicze Cerkiewne on the Polish-Belarusian border, where 21-year-old Sgt. Sitek was serving with the 1st Warsaw Armored Brigade. He was stabbed in the chest by an assailant through the border barrier, later succumbing to his injuries on June 6 at the Military Medical Institute in Warsaw.
General Szkutnik confirmed that the suspect has been tracked through recent movements in Western Europe, stating, “I think it’s a matter of time before he is arrested.”
“This person has been identified. We have photos of him, we know where he was and where he appears. New signals indicate that he was recently in Western European countries, including France and Belgium,” he said.
However, he also highlighted the limitations of the army’s role in the investigation, noting that the matter is now in the hands of law enforcement agencies.
The District Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw is leading the investigation but has declined to release further details, citing procedural integrity. Information about the suspect’s identity and actions has been acquired in part from detained migrants who crossed the border illegally.
The suspect is listed among 42 top-priority individuals identified as dangerous for their involvement in attacks on Polish soldiers at the border.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has previously called on Belarusian authorities to identify and extradite the suspect, but no significant cooperation has been reported.
Polish army personnel have been engaged in a border security operation amid escalating challenges at the country’s Belarusian border. The military has faced repeated confrontations with migrants and smugglers, some of whom have resorted to violence, including stone-throwing and makeshift weapons.
General Szkutnik reiterated the military’s commitment to justice, emphasizing that there would be “no leniency” for those who attack Polish soldiers, and reiterated that the army continues to assist law enforcement by sharing intelligence and maintaining border security.
