Latvian soldiers used tear gas and fired warning shots at migrants trying to enter the country from Belarus, Reuters reported, citing the army.
According to the army, about five migrants showed aggression and threw wooden logs at the soldiers while trying to enter Latvia, specifying that the incident occurred in the last 24 hours.
"To stop illegal actions and prevent further escalation of the situation, the soldiers used tear gas. As the individuals continued to ignore the lawful requests of the officials and maintain aggressive behavior, one warning shot was fired into the air, after which the individuals retreated to Belarusian territory," the army explained.
Last week, Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said that the number of migrants trying to enter Latvia from Belarus had doubled recently.
He did not provide exact numbers, but described the situation as a "hybrid threat", which has prompted Latvia to double the number of border guards at the border.
Latvia, along with Poland and Lithuania, accuses Belarus and Russia of organizing migrants from the Middle East and Africa in an attempt to destabilize countries on NATO's eastern flank - a charge that both Minsk and Moscow deny.