Shafaq News/ Iraq, on Friday, temporarily suspended the travel to Belarus.

A statement by the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Ministry "is following with interest the issue of Iraqi immigrants that threatens the security and lives of people."

The Ministry called the Iraqi citizens” not to fall into the trap of these groups,” pointing out that the Iraqi government has taken a set of measures that would limit this issue.

The statement indicated that Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein had received calls from Mr. Josep Borrell, the High Representative for Politics and Security in the European Union, Mr. Gabrielius Landsbergis, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, and Mr. Edgar Rinkevich, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia.

The statement quoted the minister as confirming to these officials that Iraqi laws guarantee freedom of travel for the Iraqi citizen, but that human trafficking and the dangers of expanding smuggling networks are classified as criminal acts.

The Minister said the measures taken by the government to protect Iraqi citizens who were victims of smuggling networks, included the temporary suspension of travel to Belarus and the continuation of return flights to Baghdad.”