Migrants tried to drag Lithuanian border guard into Belarus, investigation under way
A fight broke out between Lithuanian border guards and migrants who emerged from a tunnel under the Belarus border; the guard was injured and several investigations were launched.
A violent confrontation took place at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border involving a group of illegal migrants and border guards. According to sources, a scuffle began between the officers and people who came out of a tunnel dug under the border. The migrants attempted to pull one border guard into Belarus, but he managed to break free and escape.
Vitalijus Jagminas, chairman of the Vilnius County pre-trial investigation officers' trade union, said the guard was injured and is currently unfit for work. Lina Laurinaityte, a representative of the State Border Guard Service, told ELTA that the service will not comment on the situation while a pre-trial investigation is ongoing.
The incident occurred on 26 July in the area overseen by the Kapčiamiestis border guard section. A group of illegal migrants tried to enter Lithuania from Belarus through an underground tunnel. Officers who found the tunnel detained several migrants when they came out, but were then attacked by more than 20 migrants who exited the tunnel.
The incident was not reported immediately. It was made public by Vilma Danauskiene, a member of the Lazdijai district municipal council, who on Facebook asked the commander of the State Border Guard Service, General Rustamas Liubajevas, why only four officers were sent to face more than 20 migrants armed with sticks and stones.
Interior Minister Martynas Katelinas said he had been informed of the incident, but not fully, as he was only told that the digging of the tunnel had been stopped. After the information was made public, an internal investigation was launched into the actions of the border guard leadership, and on 27 July a pre-trial investigation for illegal border crossing was also opened.
