Finland reduces admission restrictions for Mosul refugees
Mosul families at a UN refugee campز
Last week, the Helsinki court reversed a decision by the immigrants service which had turned down a refugee application by an Iraqi from the city of Mosul who cited the fact that the city had become a stage of battles between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants.
The department had said, explaining its refusal, that refugees had the option of moving to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, an argument annulled by the verdict. Officials there believe the court ruling obliges them to admit similar future and past cases accordingly. They revealed that there are currently 8000 pending refugee applications.
The United Nations has said ُrecently that the number of refugees escaping violence in Nineveh’s Mosul exceeded 68000.
Mosul is currently witnessing fierce, decisive battles between Islamic State militants, who previously proclaimed the city as the capital of their “Islamic Caliphate”, and Iraqi forces and popular militias who are boasting daily victories over the extremist group since mid October.