Iraq To Evacuate Almost 1,900 Migrants From Belarus-EU Border By Sunday

Faizan Hashmi Published November 27, 2021 | 01:10 AM

CAIRO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th November, 2021) The total number of Iraqi migrants evacuated from the Belarus-Poland border will reach almost 1,900 by the end of the week, a spokesperson for the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

The first three evacuation flights by Iraqi Airways on Thursday and on Friday brought 431, 176, and 435 Iraqi migrants back to their home country, respectively, according to Ahmed Al Sahhaf.

"A flight carrying 431 passengers is planned for late Friday, and on Saturday, 430 more people will be airlifted. The total of those returning voluntarily will rise to 1,894 people," Al Sahhaf said in a statement, obtained by Sputnik.

However, the numbers mentioned by the official total 1,903 passengers.

Al Sahhaf added that the Iraqi Foreign Ministry ordered the embassies in Moscow and Warsaw to ensure the presence of diplomats in places with a high concentration of migrants in Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland.

The ministry also tasked the embassies with providing migrants with the necessary help.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has held talks with his EU counterparts "as there is a feeling that it is vital to respond and ensure safety for Iraqi refugees, and to prevent illegal migration organizers, who are engaged in this threat," Al Sahhaf said.

In November, over 2,000 migrants, mostly Iraqi Kurds, amassed on the Belarusian-Polish border in the hope of entering the European Union. The migrants tried to force their way through the barrier, but Polish security forces thwarted the attempts using special means. Some migrants have chosen to return to Iraq on their own, while others have opted for the evacuation flights. However, those staying at the Belarusian trade-logistics center accommodating migrants refuse to return and await a humanitarian corridor to the EU.