Lithuania Detains 35 Afghan and Iraqi Migrants Near Belarus Border

DID Press: Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service (VSAT) has detained 35 Afghan and Iraqi migrants who crossed into Lithuania from Belarus, according to the Lithuanian border authorities.

The migrants were detected on Thursday evening near the village of Katra in Varėna District, within the Čepkeliai Nature Reserve. Lithuanian authorities launched a large-scale search operation involving a VSAT helicopter, border guards, special forces, police officers and tracking dogs.

The migrants had split into several groups but were detained before they could travel deeper into Lithuanian territory. All 35 detainees were men aged approximately 20 to 30. Eleven had identification documents, while the others had none. The group identified themselves as citizens of Afghanistan and Iraq, according to VSAT.

Lithuanian authorities said individual assessments found no security threats among the detainees. By Friday morning, 29 had been denied entry and returned to Belarus under Lithuanian procedures, while interviews with five others were continuing. One migrant who reported health problems was taken to a medical facility for examination.

According to Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service, authorities have so far prevented 1,661 migrants from illegally entering the country from Belarus at unauthorized locations this year.