EUobserver

Romy van Baarsen

Romy van Baarsen is a Dutch investigative journalist covering migration, borders, and European policy. Her work combines document-based investigations with on-the-ground reporting along Europe’s migration routes.

Exclusive: Frontex returned almost 50 people to Afghanistan this year with help from NGO fronted by UK security veterans
15 July 2026 by Nikolaj Nielsen and Romy van Baarsen
The little-known Irara NGO was the largest non-state recipient of Frontex funding last year, receiving some €39m in 2025. The NGO is headed by UK security veterans and operates in 36 countries, including Afghanistan.