Somalia Repatriates 169 citizens from Libyan prisons
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The Federal Government of Somalia repatriated 169 citizens who were held in Libyan prisons, with 140 arriving in Mogadishu and 29 arriving in Hargeisa.
The International Organization for Migration and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinated the operation under the Voluntary Humanitarian Return programme. This initiative receives funding from the European Union. The returnees received a welcome from officials, including Ibrahim Guure from the ministry of foreign affairs.
The organization described the process as a safe and dignified return to help the citizens reunite with their families. This operation follows a series of similar repatriations in 2026, where hundreds of Somali migrants returned from Libya after facing dangerous travel conditions and exploitation by smugglers. The National Commission for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons provides immediate assistance to these returnees, such as medical checkups and registration with the National Identification and Registration Authority.
Since August 2022, the programme has facilitated the voluntary return of more than 2,000 Somalis. Authorities also held a debate in Mogadishu to discuss ways to prevent irregular migration among youth.
