Somali Asylum Seekers Arrested in Angola

Luanda (SDN) -Officials with the government of Angola have conducted a series of raids over the last few days in an attempt to round up dozens of Somali asylum seekers living in the capital city of Luanda.

Somalis in Luanda have been living in fear and constant worry since the start of operations a few days ago.

Asylum seekers caught in the crosshairs have sent their pleas to the transitional federal government of Somalia asking the TFG to intervene on their behalf with the government of Angola.

The Angolan government has yet to release a statement on the current events in the capital. The number of asylum seekers arrested remains unknown although estimates range between 50 and 60.

Countless number of Somali nationals make harrowing journeys abroad in search for a different life, some traverse the African continent on their way to southern Europe while most take boats to various port cities on their journey to Europe or Asia. They are often at risk of arrest, detention, torture, rape, murder, theft, human trafficking, extortion and numerous other threats to their lives. The arrest and detention of asylum seekers around the world remains fairly common and solutions to solving the refugee crisis in Somalia are few and far between.

SDN-Luanda