The Border Guard prevented 16 people from crossing the Belarus-Latvia border illegally on Tuesday, while three people were not prevented from crossing the border due to humanitarian reasons, the State Border Guard informs.
The three people have been detained for crossing the state border illegally.
Since 10 August last year, when a state of emergency was declared at the border, a total of 6,260 people have been deterred from crossing the state border illegally.
Since the introduction of the state of emergency, 143 people have not been prevented from crossing the state border on humanitarian grounds, while a total of 495 third-country nationals who have crossed the state border illegally have been detained last year and this year.
Taking into account the increased pressure of illegal immigration, the Latvian government has declared a state of emergency in Ludza, Krāslava and Augšdaugava counties, as well as in Daugavpils. In the summer, the government announced it from August 11 last year and it is now extended until May 10 this year.
As part of an extensive hybrid attack on the regime of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, attempts have been made since last spring to send thousands of illegal immigrants from Belarus to Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, most of them arriving in Belarus as tourists from Iraq.
Since December 13 last year, there has been an increase in migrant pressure on the Latvian border.
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