RIGA, Feb 23 (LETA) - Border guards on Tuesday prevented 16 people from illegally entering Latvia from Belarus but allowed three others to cross the border on humanitarian grounds, the State Border Guard informed LETA.

The three migrants were detained for illegal border crossing upon entry into Latvia.

Since August 10, 2021, a total of 6,260 persons have been deterred from illegally crossing from Belarus into Latvia.

Since a state of emergency was declared in regions at the Latvian-Belarusian border on August 11, 2021, a total of 143 illegal immigrants have been allowed to enter Latvia on humanitarian grounds, and 495 people have been detained for illegal border crossing.

Considering the persistent pressure of illegal migration, the government on February 1 decided to extend the state of emergency in the regions bordering with Belarus until May 10. The state of emergency in the regions of Ludza, Kraslava and Augsdaugava as well as Daugavpils City was first declared on August 11, 2021 to deal with a sharp increase in illegal border crossings.

Latvian authorities consider attempts by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko's regime to push migrants across Latvian, Lithuanian and Polish borders to be methods of hybrid warfare targeting these countries.