SILENE, Aug 11 (LETA) - The situation on the Latvian-Belarussian border, where numbers of migrants have been detained in the past days, is under control, said Interior Minister Marija Golubeva (For Development).

Many of the persons who crossed the border before the state of emergency was declared, requested asylum and have been sent to the asylum seekers' center in Mucenieki. As LETA reported, currently there are 384 persons, including 105 children, accommodated in Mucenieki.

Those persons who have not sought asylum, have been sent to the detention centers for foreigners in Daugavpils and Mucenieki. 

There are still places for more persons in Daugavpils, but the Interior Ministry in cooperation with the army are looking for additional solutions.

"The situation is under control," said the minister.

On Tuesday, 77 persons were detained for illegally entering Latvia from Belarus, LETA was told at the State Border Guard.

After a decree introducing a state of emergency along Latvia's border with Belarus came into effect at midnight, border guards prevented 56 persons from entering Latvia.

In all, 295 illegal migrants have been detained at the Latvian-Belarusian border between August 6 and 10. The total number of persons detained for illegal border crossing so far this year has increased to 355.