German state governments are disputing Berlin over deportations to Afghanistan. Human traffickers are playing with refugees' lives over the Mediterranean and the Iraqi military inches closer to liberating Mosul from the "Islamic State." All this and more in today's refugee news roundup.
- Assad backs Trump travel ban: An Iranian delegate to Syrian peace talks in Kazakhstan has blamed rebels for the delay in reaching a deal. At the same time, Syrian President Assad gave his support to US President Trump's attempted travel ban. Click here to read more.
- Iraqi forces have it all to do in western Mosul: Iraqi special forces claim that eastern Mosul is safe for residents to return. However, suicide attacks tell a different story. Now, those forces are preparing to "liberate" western Mosul, as Anna Lekas Miller reports. Click here to read more.
- German states rebel over deportations: Angela Merkel's government has promised to send rejected asylum seekers home, but some local states aren't cooperating. Schleswig-Holstein, for example, has temporarily halted all deportations to Afghanistan. Click here to find out more.
- Traffickers growing bold, reckless with refugees' lives: Increased European efforts to rescue people at sea have resulted in a worsening situation. As rescuers wait offshore, unscrupulous human traffickers create more perilous situations for refugees. Click here to find out more.
- The European Border and Coast Guard Agency, also known as Frontex, has released its risk analysis for 2017:
Number of returns of non-EU citizens to their country of origin reached 176 000 in 2016, roughly in line with 2015 https://t.co/i2hPTxL5iM
— Frontex (@Frontex) February 15, 2017