Wednesday May 14, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) – The Somali government has announced an intensified campaign against human traffickers responsible for transferring Somali citizens to criminal trafficking networks abroad, amid growing concerns over the safety and exploitation of migrants.
Attorney General Suleiman Mohamud Mohamed said Tuesday that the government, in cooperation with international partners, has developed a mechanism to track, arrest, and repatriate Somalis involved in trafficking crimes. These individuals will be brought back to Somalia to face justice under national laws.
“It is becoming easier for us to repatriate our Somali citizens in Sudan, Libya, Algeria, and Morocco who have committed crimes in Somalia, using legal procedures that facilitate the collection of information and their evidence,” the Attorney General stated.
He also announced that Somalia has officially joined the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, paving the way for increased international cooperation in combating cross-border criminal networks and extraditing suspects hiding abroad.
The announcement comes amid a surge in irregular migration, with a rising number of young Somalis risking dangerous routes to Europe. Many have died crossing the Mediterranean, while others are detained in harsh conditions in North African countries, often subjected to ransom demands by traffickers.
Last month, the Banadir Regional Court sentenced six individuals convicted of operating a human trafficking ring, following a multi-day trial that underscored the growing threat of illicit migration networks in the country.
The Somali government’s latest move signals a stronger commitment to curbing human trafficking and protecting vulnerable citizens from exploitation.