Germany Begins Controls on All Earth Borders

Police raids began in the morning hours at the borders with France, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and Denmark and will continue for six months.

From last year, Germany implements such controls at the borders of Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Switzerland.

Germany, a member of the European Union, announced last week that it would expand border controls on its nine land borders, as a move to crack down on irregular migration and crime, following recent extremist attacks.

Last month, three people were killed in a knife attack in the city of Solingen.

The suspected attacker, a Syrian asylum seekers, said he was inspired by the militant group Islamic State.

In June, another knife attack was blamed on an Afghan immigrant left a police officer dead, while four others were injured.

Border controls, however, have tested European unity, because some argue they are contrary to the free movement zone within the EU, known as Schengen.

With EU rules, member states can temporarily impose controls on so-called internal borders, in case of any serious threat, such as national security.

But with regulations, border controls must be implemented as the last tool in extraordinary situations and should be limited in time.