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Refugees from Ukraine arriving at a border crossing in Poland on March 2, 2022. Photo: Wojtek Radwanski/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqis fleeing the war in Ukraine will be given emergency residencies in neighboring Romania for a period of three months, state media reported on Wednesday.
The decision comes as the latest in a series of measures taken by the Iraqi government to ensure the safety of its nationals as Russia intensifies its invasion of Ukraine.
Iraqi foreign ministry's spokesperson, Ahmed al-Sahaf, said "necessary approvals were obtained to allow members of the community coming from Ukraine to reside for a period of three months in Romania," as he praised the efforts of the Iraqi embassy in Bucharest.
On the same day, the Iraqi embassy in Bucharest received 13 nationals fleeing the conflict in Ukraine, as the offensive prompts a large number of people to leave the country.
With over 5,000 Iraqis residing in Ukraine, Iraq facilitated the arrival of 223 of its people from the country to Poland on Tuesday.
Russian President Vladmir Putin declared a "special military operation" on Ukraine on Thursday, with explosions being heard across the country, stoking fears of a major war.
At least 352 people have been killed, including 14 children, since the invasion began, AFP reported on Tuesday.
The fighting in Ukraine has so far pushed more than half a million people to flee the country, the UN refugee agency reported on Monday.
Moscow is facing international opposition and is becoming increasingly isolated as the United States and its allies continue to expand economic, diplomatic, and cultural sanctions on Russia and Putin.
Earlier in February, Iraq called on its citizens to leave Ukraine.
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