Migrants on Belarus border decrease to 600
2 Min Read
As a change from the recent refugee crisis which has isolated thousands of Afghans, Iraqis, Syrians and more, recent reports say there around 600 migrants left on the Belarus-Poland border.
-
The Bruzgi checkpoint, Belarus, where thousands of migrants gathered (Ruptly)
The Belarusian Ministry of Interior has told Sputnik that the influx of migrants trying to cross into Europe on the Belarus-Poland border has decreased. It was reported that about 600 migrants are left in Belarus at the Bruzgi checkpoint near the border.
"At the moment the influx of foreigners of the specified category is decreasing... The migration control and maintenance of public order in places of mass gathering of foreigners are provided by law-enforcement bodies in a routine mode," the ministry said.
Due to the implementation of additional migration control measures, according to the ministry, the situation started improving as ministry supervision over tourist agencies' visa distribution to applicants increased.
The ministry continues: "Currently about 600 foreign citizens, mainly from the Middle East, continue to stay at the Bruzgi transport and logistics center."
Since the summer, migrants fleeing war, mostly from Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, gathered on Belarus' borders which neighbor Poland, Latvia and Lithuania, in attempt to cross into Europe. Leading to a migrant crisis, European countries have been accusing Belarus of escalating and mediating refugee crossing into Europe - accusations which Lukashenko rejected.
Iraqi initiative
Some of the migrants' missions also initiated to mitigate the crisis: Last month, Iraq announced two new flights to repatriate more than 800 migrants stranded on the Belarus-Poland border, after 3 similar flights during which hundreds of Iraqis, mostly Kurds, were returned.
Since the evacuation operations began on November 18, Iraq had succeeded in repatriating more than a thousand migrants, most of whom are Kurds.
