Türkiye, Iraq sign agreement on migration, voluntary return

Ankara and Baghdad have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at facilitating the voluntary return of Iraqi citizens from Türkiye, according to the Turkish Interior Ministry.

The agreement, signed by Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya and Iraqi Migration and Displacement Minister Evan Faiq Jabro, seeks to bolster cooperation between the two nations in managing migration more sustainably and securely.

"As part of the memorandum of understanding, which aims for a more sustainable and secure approach to migration management, cooperation will be undertaken to effectively prevent irregular and illegal migration," the ministry said.

It will allow Iraqi nationals residing in Türkiye to return to their home country voluntarily.

"Within the scope of the memorandum, cooperation will be undertaken to combat irregular migration," Yerlikaya said on X.

Tens of thousands of Iraqis fled to Syria in 2014 when the ISIL terrorist group seized Iraq's Mosul, Anbar and Salahaddin provinces. After Türkiye launched Operation Peace Spring in October 2019 to drive out PKK and its Syrian offshoot, YPG, from northern Syria, hundreds of displaced Iraqis fled PKK/YPG-occupied regions east of the Euphrates River and took refuge in opposition-held regions near the Turkish border.

According to official figures, Türkiye is currently home to over 4.4 million migrants, with Syrians comprising the majority of this population.

Under a separate agreement, Iraqis below the age of 15 and above 50 have been granted visa-free entry to Türkiye as of Sept. 1.

Subsequently, on Sept. 10, the Iraqi government declared that Turkish nationals within the same age brackets would be exempted from visa requirements for travel to Iraq.