Somalia repatriates 12 citizens held for years in Sudan over irregular migration
MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government on Friday welcomed home 12 citizens who were detained for years in Sudan after attempting irregular migration, concluding a coordinated repatriation supported by the International Organization for Migration.
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The group landed at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu following negotiations that secured their release from detention centers in Khartoum and Omdurman, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Officials said the Somalis had been arrested while trying to enter Sudan through smuggling networks before conflict erupted there.
Staff from the ministry’s Department of Communities and Diaspora received the returnees at the airport and said they will provide assistance to help them reintegrate.
- Number repatriated: 12 Somali nationals
- Detained in: Khartoum and Omdurman, Sudan
- Cause of detention: Attempts at irregular migration via smuggling routes
- Coordinated by: Federal Government of Somalia, IOM and the Somali Embassy in Sudan
“The Federal Government of Somalia remains committed to protecting the rights and safety of Somali citizens abroad,” ministry officials said, adding that authorities will continue working to assist nationals facing hardship in foreign countries.
In a statement of thanks, the government expressed appreciation to Sudanese authorities, the International Organization for Migration and the Somali Embassy in Sudan for facilitating the release and return of the detainees.
The Department of Communities and Diaspora urged Somali youth to avoid irregular migration, warning that smuggling routes expose migrants to detention, exploitation and life-threatening conditions. Officials said return services would include basic support and referral to reintegration assistance where possible.
The repatriation underscores the strain irregular migration places on families and institutions across the region. Somalia’s prolonged economic hardship, insecurity and limited employment opportunities continue to drive young people toward routes north through Sudan and onward to North Africa and Europe. Those journeys often pass through territories controlled by criminal networks and across deserts and seas where protection and rescue are scarce.
Authorities said the operation reflects a broader effort to build safer, legal pathways and to strengthen public awareness campaigns that counter the narratives of smugglers promising quick passage or work abroad. The ministry urged community leaders, religious authorities and diaspora organizations to amplify prevention messages and to guide at-risk youth toward education, training and local livelihoods.
At Aden Adde International Airport, officials emphasized that Friday’s return was both a humanitarian relief for families and a reminder of the hidden costs of irregular migration: years lost to detention, exposure to abuse and the financial burdens borne by relatives who fund journeys that rarely match expectations.
Somalia’s government said it will continue to coordinate with international partners to identify and assist citizens in distress overseas, and to press for humane treatment of migrants wherever they are held. The ministry encouraged Somalis contemplating irregular routes to seek verified information from government offices and trusted organizations about safe, lawful alternatives.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
