Tuesday October 29, 2024
A screenshot from a video released by the Belarusian Investigative Committee shows a group of refugees, including Somali nationals, appearing injured and exhausted near the Belarus-Poland border. Belarusian authorities allege the refugees were attacked and forcibly pushed back by Polish security forces, sparking international concern over the treatment of asylum seekers along this tense border.
LONDON, United Kingdom (HOL) — Belarusian officials reported Sunday that 15 refugees, including Somali nationals, were found with serious injuries near the Belarus-Poland border, claiming they had been attacked and pushed back by Polish security forces. The refugees, who were reportedly beaten, pepper-sprayed, and attacked by dogs, were discovered near a fenced area of the border. According to Belarus’ State Border Committee, visible bruises, rubber bullet wounds, and dog bites suggest a violent encounter before the migrants were expelled back into Belarusian territory.Belarusian officials allege that Poland has ramped up aggressive border tactics, accusing it of using excessive force against refugees and blocking their access to asylum. “This isn’t an isolated case,” said a representative from the Belarusian committee, citing a rise in pushbacks over the past month, during which two other migrants reportedly died. The plight of these refugees has drawn international concern as Poland’s “buffer zones” and restrictive asylum policies increasingly block access to safe passage.
According to the Belarus State Border Committee, the group, which also included individuals from Syria and Algeria, was attacked before being forced back into Belarusian territory.
Belarus’ Grodno District Investigative Committee announced it is conducting a formal inquiry, pledging a “principled legal assessment” of Polish actions. Officials said medical assistance had been provided to the refugees, with injuries carefully documented to support a potential case.
Poland has defended its border enforcement measures and repeatedly accused Belarus of orchestrating migrant flows as a tactic to exert political pressure on the European Union. In response, Poland has hardened its borders, implementing buffer zones and stricter asylum laws that effectively turn refugees away. Belarus claims these actions “legalize violence” against migrants, with human lives at stake in a power struggle far beyond their control.
For many Somali refugees, the journey to Europe is a last resort, an escape from the violence, drought, and economic hardship that has ravaged their homeland. Reaching Europe involves perilous routes through North Africa and Eastern Europe, yet upon arrival, many encounter a fortified border rather than refuge.