Polish border guards were attacked with a Molotov cocktail and bottles during an attempt to halt illegal migrants coming into Poland from Belarus. The attack occurred late on Tuesday evening near a border point in Czeremcha, a town in northeast Poland. The attack was confirmed by Andrzej Juźwiak, a spokesperson for the Polish border guards, on Wednesday, according to whom the explosive device went off near the officers and the migrants who had already crossed the border.
19 hours Ago By Oskar Malec
After the attack, Polish authorities attempted to contact their Belarusian counterparts. According to Juźwiak, however, there was no reply, even though a formal protest letter was sent. The person who had thrown the Molotov cocktail was said to be on the Belarusian side of the border and is still at large.
Migrants Detained as Inquiry Begins
The authorities confirmed that ten migrants, comprising five from Afghanistan and five from Eritrea, were apprehended following the incident. According to Jacek Dobrzyński, the spokesperson of the Polish Interior Ministry, there were no reported injuries, but he noted that the matter is being dealt with as a priority case with a comprehensive investigation in progress.
Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak commented on the issue on the social media platform X, saying that any use of violence by migrants who cross the border illegally, with the assistance of Belarusian troops, would be responded to strongly. He stressed that brutality towards Polish officers and troops will not be allowed.
Rising Aggression Along the Border
Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz also made comments on the growing violence. According to him, soldiers are being assaulted not just with stones but with bottles filled with fire liquids. Calling such attacks direct assaults on the Polish state, he emphasised the need to increase protection measures.
Kosiniak-Kamysz referred to recent legislation that gives soldiers clear guidelines for engagement and complete legal protection when defending the border. He emphasised the need for decisive action and thanked the troops for their commitment.
The Polish parliament in 2024 enacted a law granting immunity to armed soldiers and border officials who use firearms in certain defence cases. The law came after an increase in border violence, which involved the stabbing of a Polish soldier to death in June 2024.
Since 2021, Poland has been under increasing pressure on its eastern frontier, with Asian and African migrants attempting to gain entry to the European Union via Belarus. Polish authorities blame Belarus and its ally, Moscow, for intentionally orchestrating the crisis to destabilise Poland and the EU.
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