EU holds migrant talks, accuses Belarus of ‘hybrid warfare’

By LORNE COOK and LIUDAS DAPKUS
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union ministers are holding emergency talks over allegations that Belarus is deliberately sending migrants to Lithuania as part of a “hybrid warfare” campaign. Movements of people across the border have spiked dramatically since the EU imposed sanctions on Belarus officials over election fraud and a security crackdown. Wednesday’s meeting is being held in an “integrated political crisis response” format. They’re usually called to respond to natural disasters or terror attacks. It comes as Poland said it deployed nearly 1,000 troops at its border with Belarus to help guards there cope with a surge of migrants, mostly from Iraq. More than 4,100 migrants have arrived in Lithuania so far this year and are being sheltered in temporary camps.