Poland sending 500 more troops to protect Belarus border

By MONIKA SCISLOWSKA
Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland says it is sending 500 additional troops and special vehicles to the border with Belarus to strengthen it against increasing migrant pressure that it says is orchestrated by Belarus and Russia. Officials said Monday that migrants from the Middle East and Africa are paying large sums in Belarus to be smuggled into Germany, but then are left in forests or bogs on the border with Poland. The bodies of three migrants were found Sunday in Poland near the Belarusian border. Poland’s prime minister said they died of cold and exhaustion. Poland said there were over 8,000 attempted illegal crossings from Belarus this year, including over 3,800 attempts so far in September.