More than 200 Somali refugees fleeing the violence in Yemen have arrived back home, the largest number of refugees to have returned in a day.
The 260 refugees arrived on Friday in the commercial hub town of the semi-autonomous region of Puntland Bossaso and were received by the local authorities.
‘’ We are happy to come back home safely, we want to be assisted to get back to our normal lives,’’ said one of the returnees.
Violence in Yemen escalated in recent months as several parallel conflicts have intensified and expanded, with the Houthi rebels backed by the Iranian government overthrowing the weak government.
Somalia’s federal government announced last week it will send a ship to evacuate its citizens from the once stable middle-eastern country.
For two decades, Somalis fleeing their failed state found in Yemen a safe haven, a place to work, and a gateway to wealthier gulf states. The number of Somalis living in Yemen is thought to be around 500,000.
Horseed Media
Somalia: Over 200 refugees fleeing Yemen Violence arrive in Puntland
Published: April 11, 2015
