Hundreds of Iraqi citizens sent back from Belarus

Migrants who have made their way to Belarus hoping to reach Europe are facing a humanitarian disaster on both sides of the Polish-Belarusian border in the freezing cold. The migrants cannot pass the border, facing the security forces on both sides. As their desperate wait in challenging conditions continues, the Iraqi central government has stepped into action for the return of the migrants.

Officials in Bahgdad stated on Thursday that over 400 Iraqi citizens stranded in Belarus have been sent back to Baghdad and Erbil today.

According to Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed al-Sahaf, 430 Iraqi migrants have been documented on board on their way back to Iraq today. The consulate officials in Belarus have registered the names of another 50 Iraqis, he added.

There are no official figures regarding the number of the migrants stranded at the Polish-Belarusian border. Yet, reports speak of thousands, mainly from Iraq, Syria and Yemen, who have travelled to Belarus in recent months in an attempt to reach Europe.

In the wake of growing criticism, some countries, including Iraq, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates have restricted flights to Belarus. Still, many people find alternative ways to reach Minsk thanks to untroubled visa procedures.

Most of those planning to stay in Belarus have no hope of returning to Iraq.

In the meantime, the toll of the crisis is getting heavier. In recent months, at least 11 people have died at the border, including two from South Kurdistan whose bodies have been returned home from Belarus.