Kamaran Mohammed from Iraq is one of several people provided with tourist visas by travel agencies in the Middle East working with operators in Belarus, which adds fuel to the EU's accusation that Belarus is orchestrating the migrant crisis
Russia. Moscow has sent nuclear-capable bombers to patrol Belarusian skies and nations bordering Belarus voiced alarm that the row could escalate into military confrontation.Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of orchestrating the influx of migrants to pressure it to back down over sanctions slapped on his government.
Migrants and travel agents in Iraq and Turkey described the relative ease with which they have obtained documents for passage to Belarus in recent months. Belarusian authorities did not respond to requests for comment on accusations that they facilitated the migrant crisis. Hussein al-Asil is an Iraqi based in Ankara who provides travel services to would-be tourists and migrants.
The EU has moved to counter that. Amid pressure from Brussels, Baghdad suspended flights from Iraq to Minsk this autumn.they would no longer take passengers from Yemen, Iraq or Syria to Minsk, except for diplomats. A Polish police spokesperson said police did not conduct activities such as taking migrants back to the border. Neither the Polish Border Guard nor Belarusian authorities responded to requests for comment on her case.Many migrants do not make it into the EU and are forced to try to get back to Minsk - sometimes having to pay a bribe to do so - or their homeland. At least eight migrants have died trying to cross and fears are growing for the safety of others as harsh winter conditions set in.
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