More than 1,500 Iraqis trapped on border of Belarus and Lithuania

Mustafa Shilani 2021/08/10 17:20

Lithuanian border guards use thermo vision devices to control the Lithuania-Belarus border near Adutiskis, June 15, 2021. (Photo: Archive)

Europe Iraq Immigration Lithuania Belarus European Union

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has calculated the number of people stranded on the border between Belarus and Lithuania at 3,000 from 37 different countries, including more than 1,500 Iraqis.

UNHCR spokesperson in Iraq Firas al-Khateeb told Kurdistan 24 on Tuesday that the UNHCR was providing humanitarian support to refugees stranded at the Lithuanian and Belarusian borders, and emphasizing humane treatment in their communications with local authorities.

Khateeb also said that, of the total number of people stranded at the border, approximately sixty percent are Iraqis, he said, as Iraq is arranging special flights to bring back its citizens who are stuck between the two borders.

“The UNHCR is counting on the countries in which the refugees are stranded to carry out their humanitarian duty towards them,” the spokesperson added.

Leaders of Estonia and Lithuania both asked Baghdad on Wednesday to help stem the tide of the illegal smuggling of Iraqi immigrants into Europe through Belarus, which they accuse of intentionally stoking migrant crises in EU member states.

Iraqi has already suspended flights from Baghdad to Minsk and Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed al-Sahaf said Monday that an Iraqi delegation had prepared paperwork to bring home Iraqis stranded in Belarus.

Videos of refugees that including Iraqis have been circulated as they tried to cross Belarus' border into the European Union have spread on social media in recent days, prompting Iraqi authorities to move to repatriate their nationals.

The EU had said that almost 2,800 Iraqis had crossed into Lithuania so far in 2021.

Editing by John J. Catherine