ADDIS ABABA, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government has announced the repatriation of 287 nationals who had been detained in 18 prisons across Kenya.
The Ethiopian Embassy in Kenya said in a statement Wednesday that the individuals were detained by Kenyan authorities after illegally entering the country while attempting to reach South Africa, having been lured by human traffickers.
Following close coordination between the embassy and Kenyan authorities, the Ethiopian nationals returned home on Wednesday via land transport through the Moyale border crossing.
According to the International Organization for Migration, thousands of Ethiopians embark on perilous irregular journeys along the southern migration route each year, hoping to reach South Africa. Many, deceived by traffickers, travel through Kenya, Tanzania, and other southern African countries, facing imprisonment and numerous hardships. In addition to detention, desperate migrants often encounter life-threatening dangers along the route.
In January, the Ethiopian government announced that about 33,000 nationals had been repatriated from various countries over six months, with many found in dire conditions.
The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the ongoing large-scale repatriation is part of the government's "citizen-centered" diplomatic efforts to bring home nationals stranded in difficult circumstances abroad.
