MINSK, Belarus—Note went out all over Iraq on Facebook, YouTube and Telegram: The landlocked old Soviet republic of Belarus was as soon as offering a actually easy gateway to a new life in the European Union. Brothers Araz and Anad Shawkat made up our minds this was as soon as their simplest shot to fling the hardships of home.
Last month, the 20-one thing siblings paid bigger than $4,000 for two “invitations” to gallop to Belarus and plane tickets to wing there from Iraq through Syria. When they arrived at the airport in Minsk, immigration officers waved them through, along with ratings of different Iraqis from the packed flight.
