Wednesday October 21, 2026
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali federal government repatriated 220 citizens from Yemen on Monday, including families who had lived in the conflict-affected country for decades, as part of efforts to help Somalis facing difficult conditions abroad return home.
The operation was carried out in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Deputy Foreign Minister Hassan Mohamed Ali said more than 1,500 Somali citizens have been repatriated this year, adding that Monday's flight was the third operation bringing Somali nationals home from Yemen.
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The returnees included families who had lived for years in Aden and other parts of Yemen, where ongoing conflict, unemployment and deteriorating living conditions have made life increasingly difficult.
Abuubakar Ibrahim Omar, one of the returnees received in Mogadishu, said he had spent five years in Aden and was happy to return to Somalia.
Other returnees expressed relief at reuniting with relatives, including mothers and siblings, after years of separation.
One returnee said his family had lived in Yemen for nearly 30 years and that he was born there.
Several returnees described difficulties finding employment and the hardships faced by Somali refugees living in Aden and other parts of Yemen.
Hassan Mohamed Ali said the government remains committed to helping Somali citizens facing hardship abroad return safely to their homeland.
He thanked the IOM, UNHCR, European Union, Somalia's National Commission for Refugees and other government agencies for supporting the repatriation effort.
The deputy minister also praised the Somali Embassy in Yemen for its role in coordinating the return of Somali nationals.
The latest repatriation follows earlier operations aimed at bringing home Somalis affected by Yemen's prolonged conflict and economic hardship.
The government said the program is intended to help returning citizens reunite with their families and find opportunities to rebuild their lives in Somalia.