Tuesday September 30, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — More than 50 Somali citizens imprisoned in
the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been released following discussions
between Somali and Congolese authorities, officials confirmed.
The detainees had been held in various prisons, including
the city of Lubumbashi, though dozens of other Somalis remain incarcerated.
Somalia’s Ambassador to Tanzania and the DRC, Ilyas Ali
Hassan, said the release came after diplomatic engagement with Congolese
leaders.
“All Somalis who were detained in various ways in the Congo
DRC, especially in the city of Lubumbashi, have been released, numbering over
50 people, after we discussed with the Congolese government leaders,”
Ambassador Hassan stated.
The development comes just a week after Somalia repatriated
173 nationals from prisons in Libya, where they faced harsh conditions and
widespread human rights abuses. A plane carrying 151 returnees landed at
Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport, while another 22 arrived in
Hargeisa.
Most of those repatriated from Libya were young Somalis who
had endured years of hardship in overcrowded detention centers notorious for
torture, neglect, and poor living conditions.
The Somali government says the operations highlight both the
dangers faced by irregular migrants and its ongoing efforts to repatriate
citizens trapped in cycles of abuse and displacement abroad.