50 migrants and asylum seekers crossed into Poland after breaking through a barricade on the border with Belarus. This occurred on Saturday evening (13 November) near the town of Dubicze Cerkiewne in Poland, according to Polish police. They also reported last Sunday (14 November) that 22 Iraqis had been arrested.
In Belarus, there are thousands of migrants and asylum seekers near the border with Poland. They wish to travel to the European Union, but are stopped by the Polish authorities. As a result, tension in the border area is rising sharply. On Saturday (13 November), Polish security forces were reportedly pelted with stones during another attempt by migrants to cross the border.
EU Member States hold Belarus responsible for the chaotic situation in the area. The regime of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko is said to be helping migrants and asylum seekers to travel to the EU's external border. This is seen as retaliation for European sanctions imposed on Belarus after a crackdown on demonstrators who accuse Lukashenko of election fraud.
