Turkish Airlines rebuffs claims of fueling migrant crisis as 'without any basis'

By Aysu Bicer

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish Airlines flights to Belarus are in no way aiding in illegal immigration traffic, the flag carrier said Tuesday.

"Our company makes sure to comply with all security measures and sensibilities in cooperation with international officials in all its flights operated to all corners of the world," said a company statement, rebuffing press claims that the air carrier was flying migrants to Belarus amid a migration crisis there.

"We would like to respectfully inform the public that the allegations in the media are without any basis," it asserted.

Poland and the EU have accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of trying to retaliate for EU sanctions by deliberately inviting in and herding migrants towards the Polish border.

NATO and the EU consider Belarus’ approach towards migrants an effort to destabilize and undermine security in European countries through non-military means.

According to estimates from last month, over 6,000 migrants, mostly from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria, tried to enter the EU via the Belarus-EU border, up sharply from just 150 last year.​​​​​​