Nearly 4,900 migrants tried to enter Germany from the east in October

German authorities recorded 4,889 people who tried to enter the country illegally after coming from Poland and Belarus during October, a dynamic officials are watching closely amid a spike in migration that many have linked to Minsk.
The rate in the first four weeks of October was more than double the level in September, officials said, and comes as Poland's parliament cleared the way for a permanent fence on the Belarusian border.
There were 7,300 unauthorized attempts to enter Germany using this route in the year as a whole, German police said on Friday.
Migration has risen along the German-Polish border since August. "There are currently no signs of an easing of the situation," a police statement read.
On Friday, a refugee was found dead near the German-Polish border. Officials tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate the man from Iraq, police in Goerlitz said. Further information was not yet available.
Police said they had received a tip-off earlier from the public about possible people smuggling. Officers found 30 people who had just left a van in nearby Schoepstal. The driver had fled but police detained another man who was driving a second vehicle.
The increase in migration has been observed in other EU countries too.
Some attribute these rises to policies deliberately adopted by Minsk, as earlier this year Belarusian long-time ruler Alexander Lukashenko said his government would no longer stop migrants from travelling onwards into the EU.
His comments came in response to tougher Western sanctions imposed on Belarus for the violent repression of peaceful protests after contested elections.
Since then, the number of migrants from Iraq, Syria, Yemen and other troubled regions trying to enter the European Union illegally via Belarus has grown significantly, with bordering countries Poland, Lithuania and Latvia bearing the brunt of the influx.
A spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry described the situation at the Polish-Belarusian border area as "depressing" and said humanitarian aid was needed.
"The responsibility for resolving this crisis clearly lies with Minsk," she said.
Jordan has already stopped numerous charter flights carrying migrants to Belarus, the spokesperson said.
Deputy German government spokesperson Martina Fietz said Germany supports efforts by the EU to provide financial support for Poland, Latvia and Lithuania for border protection.
A law allowing the Polish border fence is set to be approved by President Andrzej Duda.
Several Senate amendments were rejected on Friday, the PAP news agency reported, meaning it is poised for the statute books after the bill was already passed two weeks ago by the Sejm, the lower chamber of parliament.
Poland already started building the fence along the border at the end of August. It is a barbed wire fence about 2.5 metres high, which is being erected by soldiers of the Polish army.