Iraqi Border Police Arrest 60 Illegal Afghan Immigrants

BASRA, Iraq, July 30 (AFP) - Iraqi border police on Friday arrested 60 Afghans who came into the country from Iran, a spokesman said.
"About 60 Afghans were arrested after crossing the border in the Fadaquia area," about 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of Basra, where British troops are based, Captain Nizar al-Amara said.
None of the immigrants was carrying weapons and only 16 of them had passports, Amara added.
"They were handed over to immigration and will be charged with trying to enter the country illegally."
He said the group most likely consisted of Shiite Muslim pilgrims anxious to make their way to the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala in central Iraq.
On Wednesday, the US military said 35 insurgents who had crossed into Iraq illegally from Iran, were killed in a joint Iraqi-multinational raid.