Turkey Deports Iraqi Kurds

A security source in the border town of Zakho, in northern Duhok province, said that Turkey deported 115 people from Iraqi Kurdistan who had entered the country illegally. The were handed over to Iraqi Kurdish officials at the Ibraheem Khaleel border point. The illegal immigrants were mostly from Sulaimaniyah, Erbil and Duhok provinces and had paid smugglers around four to seven thousand US dollars to take them to Europe. The Turkish authorities returned 120 illegal immigrants to Iraqi Kurdistan on October 20. Iraqi Kurdish authorities are looking to tighten border security. According to border police in Zakho, 600 people have been arrested trying to enter Turkey illegally. Most of those who try to leave Iraqi Kurdistan are between 20 to30 years old.