Somalia has repatriated 184 of its citizens stranded in Libya, in a government-led operation supported by the European Union (EU) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the evacuation took place on Tuesday, bringing relief to citizens who had been living under what it described as “difficult and challenging conditions.”
Of those evacuated, 152 Somali nationals arrived at Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu, while 32 others landed at Hargeisa Airport in Somaliland. The returnees were received by senior Somali officials, including Second Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Abdirashid Haji Abdi and Deputy Foreign Minister Isaak Mohamud Mursal, alongside representatives of the EU and IOM.
Authorities in Mogadishu emphasized that the operation reflects Somalia’s determination to protect its citizens abroad and to respond to the risks of irregular migration. Many of those stranded in Libya had faced harsh treatment, arbitrary detention, and exploitation at the hands of smuggling networks, conditions that international rights groups have long condemned.
Libya has become one of the most dangerous transit points for migrants from across Africa seeking to cross the Mediterranean Sea toward Europe. Thousands of people remain trapped in detention centers or at the mercy of traffickers, with limited access to food, healthcare, or legal protection. The Somali government said its priority is to ensure the safe return of vulnerable nationals and to work with international partners to reintegrate them back into society.
The Foreign Ministry expressed gratitude to the EU and IOM for their critical support, which included funding, logistical assistance, and coordination.
