IOM-chartered flight brings 171 stranded Somalis home after dangerous journeys, exploitation and hardship in Libya….reports Africa Daily News Desk
A total of 171 Somali migrants stranded in Libya returned home safely on Monday on a charter flight organised by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
The returnees, including three minors, had undertaken hazardous journeys across several countries before becoming stranded in Libya, where they faced hardship, exploitation and abuse by smugglers, according to the IOM.
The operation was supported by the European Union through the Migrant Protection, Return and Reintegration in Sub-Saharan Africa (MPRR-SSA) programme and carried out in coordination with the Somali government.
“Migration should never compromise a person’s safety, dignity or future,” Manuel Marques Pereira, chief of mission for IOM Somalia, said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.
He said voluntary returns and reintegration support were helping Somali migrants rebuild their lives safely and with dignity while reconnecting with their communities.
The charter flight first landed in Hargeisa in northern Somalia, where 42 returnees disembarked. The remaining migrants travelled to the capital Mogadishu, where they were welcomed by authorities and family members before receiving immediate post-arrival assistance.
Many of the returnees had been separated from their families and lacked access to basic services while stranded in Libya. The IOM said they were therefore in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and protection.
Since August 2022, the EU-IOM partnership with the Somali government has facilitated the voluntary return of about 2,000 Somali migrants from Libya. The IOM said additional charter flights are planned for later in 2026.
According to the IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix, hundreds of Somali migrants remain stranded in Libya in dangerous conditions. Severe insecurity and shortages of basic necessities, including food, shelter and medical care, have left many in need of humanitarian and protection assistance.
Under the MPRR-SSA programme, migrants returning voluntarily receive support after arrival, including housing, medical and mental healthcare and transportation to their home regions.
They also receive individualised financial assistance to help them rebuild their lives and reintegrate into their local communities.
