Iraqis Starting to Return Homeland: Merkel

German chancellor Angela Merkel says around 3-thousand migrants are leaving Germany to return home to Iraq every month and the number is on the rise. Image: The trail of people crossing between Austria and Germany in October (AAP)

The German leader says Iraqis are returning to cities recaptured by government forces from the self-proclaimed Islamic State, or I-S.

 

It comes as the European Union remains divided over the humanitarian crisis, with Balkan countries shutting their borders to people and closing a major route from Greece to Germany.