BAGHDAD: The Iraqi government said it was organizing a repatriation flight this Thursday for its citizens stuck on the Poland-Belarus border on a “voluntary” basis.
“Iraq will carry out a first flight for those who wish to return voluntarily on the 18th” of November from Belarus, Iraqi foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Al-Sahaf told Iraqi television overnight Sunday to Monday.
He did not say how many people would be able to board the Minsk-Baghdad flight, but said Iraq had recorded 571 of its citizens stuck on the border who have said they are ready to return “voluntarily.”
Thousands of migrants from the Middle East, including many from Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, are camped out on the EU-Belarus border, creating a stand-off between the EU and US on one side and Belarus and its ally Russia on the other.
Western countries accuse Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s government of engineering the crisis by encouraging migrants to come to Belarus and then taking them to the border.
Regular air links between Baghdad and Minsk have been suspended since August, while Belarusian diplomatic missions in Baghdad and Irbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, have been closed for more than a week.
The measures “have reduced the trips by Iraqis (to Belarus) but the problem is that some are now taking indirect flights, passing through Turkey, Qatar, the UAE and Egypt,” Sahaf said.
On Friday, Turkey banned citizens of Syria, Iraq and Yemen from flying from its airports to Belarus, while private Syrian carrier Cham Wings Airlines on Saturday halted flights to Minsk.
Iraq’s Kurdistan region presents itself as a haven of relative stability, but is often criticized for restricting freedom of expression. The region has been ruled for decades by two parties, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party.
Several Iraqi Kurds have told AFP that a lack of economic prospects and security instability were behind their desire to leave.
European Commission vice president Margaritis Schinas is due to travel to Baghdad on Monday to discuss the migration crisis.
Iraq to start repatriating citizens in Belarus Thursday: ministry
https://arab.news/mughm
Iraq to start repatriating citizens in Belarus Thursday: ministry
Anti-Daesh coalition issues joint statement after Riyadh meeting
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia hosted a meeting of senior diplomatic and defense officials from the Small Group of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh in Riyadh on Monday.
Saudi Vice Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji opened the meeting, which was co-chaired by US Special Envoy for Syria Ambassador Tom Barrack.
Participants expressed their appreciation to the Kingdom for hosting the meeting and for its continued role in supporting regional and international efforts to counter terrorism and promote stability.
Participants welcomed the comprehensive agreement between the Government of Syria and the Syrian Democratic Forces, including the permanent ceasefire and arrangements for the civil and military integration of northeast Syria.
They noted the Government of Syria’s stated intention to assume national leadership of counter-Daesh efforts and expressed appreciation for the sacrifices made by the Syrian Democratic Forces in the fight against Daesh.
Participants also thanked the Government of Iraq for its continued leadership in the Defeat Daesh campaign.
The participants reaffirmed their priorities, including the swift transfer and safeguarding of Daesh detainees, third-country repatriation, the dignified reintegration of families from Al-Hol and Roj camps to their communities of origin, and continued coordination with Damascus and Baghdad on the future of the Defeat Daesh campaign in Syria and Iraq.
Participants welcomed the Syrian government as the 90th member of the D-Daesh Coalition. Coalition members underscored their readiness to work closely with the Syrian government and encouraged members to provide direct support to Syrian and Iraqi efforts.
Coalition defense officials highlighted the close coordination between diplomatic and military lines of effort.
Participants received briefings on the current Defeat Daesh campaign, including ongoing detainee transfer operations.
Officials commended Iraq’s efforts to securely detain Daesh fighters and welcomed Syria’s assumption of responsibility for detention facilities and displacement camps housing Daesh fighters and their family members.
Participants reiterated the need for countries to take responsibility for and repatriate their nationals from Iraq and Syria.
Coalition members thanked Iraq for its leadership and recognized that the transfer of detainees into Iraqi custody is essential to regional security.
They reaffirmed their shared commitment to defeating Daesh in Iraq and Syria and pledged continued support to both governments in securing Daesh-affiliated detainees.
