Polish security forces have used tear gas and water cannons against the migrants piled up at the border with Belarus. The use of water cannons in freezing cold is a life-threatening attack on the migrants who were also targeted by tear gas grenades fired by the Polish forces.

The government of Poland does not allow journalists into the region and thus tries to maintain its own sovereignty over news from the area.

Poland's defence ministry said its forces responded to migrants attacking a border fence at Kuznica.

"The migrants attacked our soldiers and officers with stones and are trying to destroy the fence and get to Poland. Our services used tear gas to quell the migrants' aggression," the ministry tweeted.

Polish police said Belarusian forces stood by while this happened and accused them of supplying migrants with stun grenades.