A group of about 50 failed asylum seekers have set up camp outside the Ter Apel asylum seekers' registration centre to protest against their planned deportation.

A spokesperson for the group says that central Iraq, where most of the failed asylum seekers are from, is not safe.

The Iraqis want the Dutch immigration and naturalisation service to reconsider their asylum requests and to provide them with adequate shelter.

"The Netherlands offers us a choice between returning to Iraq and living on the streets. We don’t want to go back. Death awaits us there.”

The group has announced it will stay in the tent camp until its demands are met.

(gsh)

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(Asylum seekers in the photo are not from Ter Apel)