In 2025, Polish Border Guard officers discovered four tunnels dug under the border with Belarus. According to findings, they were meant to facilitate illegal crossings for migrants. It cannot be ruled out that individuals linked to Hamas, Hezbollah, or the Islamic State participated in their construction.
The last tunnel was found near Narewka in the Podlasie region. It was several dozen meters long, about 1.5 meters high, and its entrance was hidden in the forest, roughly 50 meters on the Belarusian side. The exit was located about 10 meters from the Polish border barrier.
According to the Border Guard, over 180 foreigners used this tunnel to enter Poland in a short period. Most of them were apprehended. The detainees were mainly citizens of Afghanistan and Pakistan, with others coming from India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Two drivers were also arrested: a 69-year-old resident of Lesser Poland and a 49-year-old Lithuanian citizen, who had come to pick up the migrants and transport them further west.
Terrorist involvement suspected
Experts cited by „The Telegraph” argue that such advanced tunnel construction could only be carried out by organized groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, or the Islamic State. The level of precision and engineering required points to professional, possibly military-trained, operators.
Polish and EU officials have consistently described the migration pressure orchestrated by Alexander Lukashenko’s regime as a form of hybrid warfare. Multiple reports have documented Belarusian border guards actively assisting migrants, providing them with tools to cut fences and instructing them on how to bypass barriers.
Hybrid war on the eastern border
The discovery of the tunnels adds a new, alarming dimension to the ongoing crisis. If confirmed, the involvement of terrorist organizations would mean that the threat is no longer limited to illegal migration but includes potential planning for terrorist acts on EU soil. Security services across Europe are now analyzing the potential for similar tunnels elsewhere along the bloc’s eastern frontier.
Poland has already bolstered its border surveillance with additional cameras, drones, and patrols. The government has also called for increased EU funding to strengthen the physical barrier and enhance intelligence sharing regarding organized crime and terrorist networks operating in the region.
Źródło: wnp.pl, Fot. Straż Graniczna
