Britain criticised over attempts to send back asylum seekers to central Iraq

The United Nations refugee agency has criticised European countries for sending asylum seekers back to central Iraq, according to the BBC.

Unlike the relativly safe Kurdish region in Northern Iraq, where failed asylum seekers have been sent back to up until recently, central Iraq is plagued by bombings and oppression from extremists.

Britain, Denmark and Sweden were cited by the agency as three examples of countries who have sent asylum seekers back to this area.

Last week, it emerged that Iraqi army officers at Baghdad Airport blocked an attempt by the British Government to send back 39 Iraqi detainees, allowing ten to voluntarity disembark and the rest to return to the United Kingdom.

Sandy Buchan, the chief executive of Refugee Action, told the Guardian: "If Baghdad is now deemed to be safe then where on earth is deemed dangerous? The Foreign Office itself has stated that even peaceful and non-political aid agencies like the Red Cross are not safe from attack.

"We believe that people who come from areas where there is widespread violence or human rights abuses should be granted temporary humanitarian protection until the situation in their country changes."

Asylum seekers have also been deported back to Afghanistan, according to the Daily Telegraph, which highlights the £120,000 cost to British taxpayers.

Asylum seekers in Britain forced to live on £5 a day:

Even those asylum seekers who are allowed to remain in Britain aren't allowed to work, instead recieving benefits which will be cut to £5 per day.

In a letter to the Sheffield Star, Graham Jones from Sheffield Amnesty International Group rightly says: "There is no point in creating a situation in this country where thousands of people live below the survival line. Much better to give them the opportunity to work legally or give them adequate support."

Of course, making asylum seekers live on benefits paid for by the taxpayer also allows political parties to use them as scapegoats at election time, including the British National Party.