Iraq wants to start recalling citizens from Belarus on Thursday | Abroad

Thousands of migrants are stranded near the border with Poland in Eastern European Belarus. They want to travel to the EU, but are stopped by the Polish authorities. As a result, the tension in the border area is rising sharply.

Iraq already announced last week that it has sent diplomats to the border area between the European countries. They had to maintain contact with the authorities and ensure the safety of the migrants. Lists would also be drawn up of Iraqis who regret their trip and want to return voluntarily.

Migrants ‘don’t want to go home’

According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, president of Belarus, the migrants trapped in the border area do not want to return home at all. According to him, Belarus is trying to repatriate migrants, but that group would not be persuaded. “We are actively working in this area to convince people,” Lukashenko told state news agency Belta.

EU countries hold Belarus responsible for the chaotic situation in the area. Leader Aleksandr Lukashenko, sometimes called Europe’s last dictator, is said to allow migrants from the Middle East to fly to his country. There they are then directed to the external border of the EU. This is seen as revenge for European sanctions against Lukashenko’s regime.

Emirates ban migrants from flights to Belarus

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has banned Afghans, Iraqis, Yemenis and Syrians from boarding flights to Belarus since Monday. That country is accused of bringing in migrants and then sending them across the border into EU member states.

The decision was passed on Sunday to Belarusian airline Belavia, which flies between Dubai and Minsk, and follows Turkey’s lead. Since Friday, that country no longer allows citizens from Iraq, Yemen and Syria to fly from Turkey to Belarus. That same day, Iraq canceled all direct flights to Belarus to protect Iraqis from people smugglers.

Thousands of migrants have flown from the Middle East to Belarus in recent months, from there onward to the European Union. Belarus is said to help them cross over to EU member states, but due to tightened border security, thousands of migrants are trapped in the border area near Poland and Lithuania.

Also listen to the podcast The Land of Wierd Duk on the escalation at the border between Poland and Belarus:

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