By Mohamed Abdi - Reporter
Somalia, 20 November 2025 — More than 100 Somali migrants were repatriated from Libya after months of detention today, exploitation and abuse by smugglers and human trafficking networks.
The 165 returnees arrived on a chartered flight that first landed at Egal International Airport in Hargeisa, where 13 migrants disembarked, before continuing to Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu, where the remaining 152 were received.
The group included 27 minors, with most of the returnees being young men under the age of 25.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the migrants were assisted under its Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) programme, funded by the European Union, which supports migrants to return safely to their countries of origin and reintegrate into their communities.
This latest operation brings the total number of Somali migrants supported to return from Libya this year to nearly 557, IOM said.
Upon arrival in Mogadishu and Hargeisa, the returnees received temporary accommodation, onward transportation, medical and psychosocial support, as well as mobile phones and SIM cards to help them reconnect with their families.
IOM said all returns were voluntary and based on informed consent, with counselling provided to ensure migrants made free and informed decisions.
Maryan Yasin, the Special Envoy of the Somali President for Migration and Child Rights, said the operation reflects growing awareness among young people of the dangers of irregular migration.
“Today I am honoured to welcome Somali migrants who chose to return to their homeland. While irregular migration continues to rise, more young people are becoming aware of its risks and deciding to come back,” she said.
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One of the returnees, Ahlaam Abdikariin, described the conditions in Libyan detention centres as severe, saying many migrants endured violence and that some died in custody.
“I am very happy to be back in my homeland. In Libya, the situation was extremely harsh. Many young people were beaten and some died in front of us. We endured very difficult imprisonment,” she said.
IOM warned that the Central Mediterranean route remains one of the world’s deadliest migration corridors, exposing migrants to violence, torture, exploitation and human trafficking.
The agency cited recent incidents in which 42 people died following the capsizing of a rubber boat off the Libyan coast, including eight Somali nationals.
According to IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix, more than 1,400 Somali migrants remained stranded in Libya as of April 2025, many facing danger due to insecurity and limited access to food, healthcare and shelter.
Under the Migrant Protection, Return and Reintegration in Sub-Saharan Africa (MPRR-SSA) programme, also funded by the European Union, IOM has supported the voluntary return of 1,394 Somali migrants since August 2022, including 215 women, with over 929 receiving reintegration assistance across Somalia.
Without such support, IOM said many migrants would remain trapped in unsafe detention facilities or be forced to continue dangerous journeys that could result in loss of life.
Somali authorities reiterated calls for young people to avoid irregular migration routes and instead pursue legal and safer alternatives.
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