In the first two weeks of July, more than 1,100 migrants and asylum seekers reportedly crossed irregularly from Belarus to its EU neighbour, Lithuania. What they do know is that Belarus is offering visa-on-arrival for 70 nationalities, including Iraqis, and that Belarus has a 600-kilometre, mostly unmonitored, border with EU member state Lithuania. Seated in Sahdun's barber chair, Ibrahim Khalil, 23, explained why he wants to join the Iraqis being smuggled through Belarus to the EU. And the EU is desperate to keep Iraqis like Khalil in Iraq. Lithuania wants Iraq to halt commercial flights to Belarus and take back Iraqis who have already made it to Lithuania.

Source: CBC News July 27, 2021 07:52 UTC