By Nuh Mohamed - Reporter
Somalia, 2 July 2026 – Somalia repatriated 129 citizens from Libya on Thursday, as the government stepped up efforts to bring home nationals stranded in the North African country.
The return marks the second repatriation of Somali citizens from Libya in 2026, as authorities continue evacuations of migrants facing difficult conditions abroad.
Officials said 19 of the returnees were flown to Hargeisa, while the remaining passengers arrived in Mogadishu.
Deputy Foreign Minister, Hassan Nadara, said the government was continuing efforts to assist Somali citizens facing hardship in different parts of the world.
He said the latest flight was the second evacuation from Libya this year and that nearly 500 Somali citizens had been repatriated since the beginning of 2026.
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The government is also preparing additional repatriation efforts for Somali citizens who remain stranded in Libya, particularly those unable to return in the latest operation, he added.
One of the returnees, Mohamed Abdullahi, said he had spent five months in detention in Libya. He added that he had been held in several detention centres and faced harsh conditions.
The repatriation operation was coordinated by the Office of the Special Envoy of the President for Migration Affairs and Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The operation was funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Libya remains a major transit route for migrants from Africa seeking to reach Europe, with many facing detention, abuse and dangerous conditions during the journey.