Hundreds of Somali refugees in Yemen have expressed their willingness to return to Somalia to escape the escalating sectarian tension in Yemen.
The Somali consul in Aden, Ahmed Abdi Hassan, told Radio Ergo’s local correspondent that more than 700 Somalis in Yemen had approached the consulate requesting to be assisted in returning to Somalia.
“They need to be assisted in returning to Somalia since they don’t want to stay here any longer,” said Hassan.
He said the Somali government in collaboration with UNHCR and other international partners was working on ways to help refugees go back home.
In a recent meeting with UNHCR officials in Aden, Somali consular officials requested the agency to assess the situation of Somali refugees in Yemen and come up with a process that could see the speedy repatriation of refugees eager to go back home.
“85 per cent of Somali refugees live in Yemen’s southern regions where insecurity is rampant. They are now too concerned about tension in the capital, Sanaa. Let’s hope it doesn’t get out of control,” said Hassan.
Explaining why some of the refugees were now opting to go back home, he said: “They have been in the camps for a very long time and experienced appalling living conditions as well as poor health services.”
He said the improving security situation in parts of Somalia might also be another main reason for the desire to return.
Hassan said they were expecting officials from Somali federal government’s committee for refugees to visit Yemen soon and meet with the refugees to discuss on several issues affecting them.
He denied allegations that Somali refugees were fighting alongside the Shia Houthi rebels opposing the Yemeni government.
“There was no reason why Somalis here could take part in the current unrest. They are so concerned about the political instability because they will gain nothing from it except another displacement,” he said.
There are more than 230,000 Somali refugees currently in Yemen.
