Germany sees more patrols on Polish border to curb migration

Germany’s top security official has proposed introducing joint German-Polish patrols on the two countries’ border to help clamp down on illegal crossings into Germany by migrants arriving from Belarus

BERLIN -- Germany's top security official on Wednesday proposed introducing joint German-Polish patrols on the two countries' border to help clamp down on illegal crossings into Germany by migrants arriving from Belarus, but said no one has any intention of closing the frontier.

Authorities in Germany say about 4,500 such crossings have been registered since August. Many of them are people from Syria and Iraq who flew to Belarus in the hope of reaching the European Union via Poland.

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said he has sent a letter to his Polish counterpart proposing joint patrols on the Polish side of the border to identify illegal crossings and arrest people-smugglers. He said he hasn't yet received a reply.

Germany says it has offered assistance to Poland by seconding additional border guards and providing logistical support for housing migrants in the country.