IOM repatriates over 170 Somali migrants from Libya

Mogadishu: A total of 171 Somali migrants stranded in Libya returned home safely on Monday aboard a charter flight organised by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

According to the IOM, the returnees, including three minors, were stranded in Libya after surviving hazardous journeys across several countries, only to face severe hardship, exploitation and abuse at the hands of smugglers, Xinhua News Agency reported.

"Migration should never compromise a person's safety, dignity or future. By supporting voluntary returns and reintegration, the government, the European Union and IOM are enabling Somali migrants to turn a challenging chapter into an opportunity to rebuild their lives at home, in safety, with dignity, and integrated in their communities," Manuel Marques Pereira, chief of mission for IOM Somalia, said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.

Supported by the EU through the Migrant Protection, Return and Reintegration in Sub-Saharan Africa (MPRR-SSA) program, and in coordination with the Somali government, the charter flight first landed in Hargeisa, northern Somalia, where 42 returnees disembarked.

The remaining returnees arrived in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, where authorities and families welcomed them before they received immediate post-arrival assistance.

Many returnees had been separated from their families and lacked access to basic services, leaving them in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and protection support.

Since August 2022, the EU-IOM partnership with the Somali government has facilitated the voluntary return of about 2,000 Somali migrants from Libya, with additional charter flights scheduled for late 2026, according to the IOM.

According to the IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), hundreds remain stranded in Libya under dangerous conditions.

Severe insecurity and a lack of necessities, including food, shelter and medical care, leave thousands in urgent need of protection and humanitarian assistance.

The MPRR-SSA initiative enables safe and voluntary returns for Somali migrants. After arrival, returnees receive housing, medical and mental health care, as well as transport to their home regions.

They later receive individualised financial assistance to help them rebuild their lives and reintegrate into local communities.

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