Twenty-six foreigners tried to illegally enter Polish territory from Belarus on Tuesday and 12 on Wednesday, announced the Polish Border Guard, underlining that Poland’s border still faces security threats.
The group of 26 migrants featured foreigners from Egypt, Iran, Afghanistan, and Syria, all of whom were detained in Czeremcha in the Podlaskie region of eastern Poland on Tuesday. Twelve Syrians were also detained on Wednesday.
Polish authorities also announced that one migrant smuggler was arrested as well.
In December, there were 991 attempts recorded of individuals attempting to cross the Polish border from Belarus, bringing the total for 2022 so far to 15,131. This year, the Polish Border Guard has also detained over 380 people suspected of contributing to or organizing illegal border crossings.
Poland is currently constructing an electronic barrier that will complement the existing 186-kilometer-long barrier made out of steel fencing. Three parts of the barrier, covering 55 kilometers in total, have already been built and are equipped with day-night, thermal surveillance cameras.
The electronic barrier is to cover 206 kilometers of the border.
In response to the border crisis, Polish authorities have banned non-residents from staying overnight in a 200-meter strip of land near the Polish-Belarusian border in the Podlasie region, which will remain in force until the end of the year.
