Specially Chartered Plane Departs from Sweden to Iraq with 26 Iraqi Citizens On Board
Tuesday morning saw the departure of a specially chartered plane from Arlanda, Sweden, heading towards Baghdad, the capital city of Iraq. The plane carried 26 Iraqi citizens, along with personnel from the Prison Service’s transport service and police officers.
Confirmation of this transport came in the form of a statement from the Correctional Service, who confirmed to SVT on Tuesday afternoon that they had indeed carried out the transport of the 26 individuals, who have now been received in Iraq.
This deportation marks a change in attitude from Iraq, as in the past, they have refused to receive individuals who were forcibly deported from Sweden. However, talks between the two countries have been ongoing regarding how to handle Iraqi citizens who do not voluntarily return.
Interestingly, no representative from the Swedish government has been willing to comment on this forced deportation. Despite attempts by TT to contact Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard and Foreign Minister Tobias Billström, their press secretary redirected the matter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged that talks have taken place between Sweden and Iraq, but did not provide any specific details about this particular deportation. In a statement, the ministry mentioned the existence of dialogue and cooperation between the two nations in various areas and confirmed continuous conversations happening at different levels. However, they declined to comment on the content of these discussions at the moment.
The forced deportation of the 26 Iraqi citizens has sparked questions and concerns about Sweden’s deportation policies and the relationship between the two countries. As more information becomes available, it remains to be seen how this event will impact future deportations and diplomatic relations between Sweden and Iraq.