Poland says some migrants on border have extremist ties

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Poland on Monday said they have found evidence of ties to extremist groups on the phones of some migrants detained along its border with Belarus and plans to extend a state of emergency.

The situation is “extremely tense” on the border, Poland’s Minister of Interior Mariusz Kaminski said on Monday, announcing he intends to request the cabinet extend the state of emergency by 60 days.

The European Union has accused Belarus of pushing migrants to their borders in protest of sanctions imposed in response to a crackdown on dissent by the regime in Minsk. Belarus’ neighbours have responded by beefing up security on their borders.

Non-governmental organizations have criticized Poland’s state of emergency that prevents charities from helping the migrants by banning all non-residents, including journalists, AFP reported.

On Friday an Iraqi man died on the border - the sixth migrant death since August. Most of the migrants come from Iraq, Afghanistan, and African nations, according to Reuters.

Polish authorities said they have examined about 200 migrants and found evidence of extremism or radicalism among 50 of them. Kaminski said they had “evidence that some of these people have direct ties to the Taliban or the Islamic State. One of them is directly related to a terrorist arrested in one of the European Union countries in connection with preparations for a terrorist attack.”

Iraq’s foreign ministry spokesperson Ahmed al-Sahaf told Rudaw English on Monday that their embassy in Warsaw is following the situation on the Poland-Belarus border “with great interest and we are coordinating with the Polish side on this matter.”

Asked if any Iraqis are among those accused of having ties to extremist groups, he said they “don’t have official information confirming this.”

Belarus was also blamed for the influx of more than 4,000 migrants into Lithuania earlier this year. Lithuania said it is a politically motivated move to weaponize migrants in order to pressure the European Union into lifting sanctions. Most were Iraqis, including Kurds.

Poland and Lithuania in August called for help from Europe with the surge of migrants from Belarus.

The European Court of Human Rights on August 25 ruled Poland and Latvia must provide the migrants with food, water, clothing, medical care, and temporary shelter if possible, but does not require them to let the migrants cross into their territory.

Poland says some migrants on border have extremist ties

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