A migrant attempting to illegally cross the border from Belarus into Poland stabbed a Polish soldier on Tuesday, with the police sharing footage of the shocking incident that was recorded from a surveillance camera.
The attack on the Polish soldier occurred during a patrol along the border on Tuesday morning. Other officers were also injured during the incident, which involved a clash with around 50 illegal migrants.
According to prosecutors, the attack happened at around 4:30 a.m. The assailant reached through a gap in the steel barrier and stabbed the soldier in the ribs, with the knife becoming lodged in the soldier’s body.
Footage of the incident shows that immediate medical assistance was provided, and the soldier was transported to a hospital in Hajnówka, eastern Poland. During attempts to aid the injured soldier, the illegal migrants continued to attack the border patrol. The wounded soldier’s life is not in danger, and his family is receiving psychological assistance to cope with the situation.
The Polish military prosecution service has announced that it is investigating the incident, which has been classified as attempted murder, and secured webcam footage from the border guard service.
In the past few months, violence has escalated significantly
In recent years, Polish media and films have portrayed the migrants as innocent victims attempting to seek a better life in Europe, but Polish soldiers and border guards have been routinely attacked by what are mostly migrant males.
In separate incidents on the border, a border guard was attacked with a broken bottle, suffered facial injuries and was taken to the hospital, and in another incident, a guard was injured in the arm by an assailant who used a spear with a knife attached.
The Polish Border Guard has highlighted an alarming rise in violent incidents at the Polish-Belarusian border. According to their latest statement, border officers are increasingly facing aggressive behavior from migrants attempting to cross into Poland.
The report details numerous assaults on the border guards, stating that in the past few months, the violence has escalated significantly. Four border guards have been injured as a result of these confrontations. Migrants have been documented using stones, branches, and bottles as projectiles, and some are armed with dangerous tools, including knives. Additionally, slingshots have been used in attacks, which can shoot projectiles at high rates of speed, leading to the risk of serious eye injuries.
The situation has not only put the border guards at risk but has also led to substantial damage to border patrol vehicles. Incidents of smashed windows and significant damage to vehicles’ bodywork were specifically noted in the report.