Sunday February 23, 2025
Hargeisa (HOL) – Somaliland police have launched a campaign to deport undocumented Ethiopian migrants just weeks after Puntland authorities deported over 1,000 Ethiopian nationals from Garowe and Bosaso towns.
Police vehicles were on Sunday morning seen patrolling market areas in Hargeisa, arresting Ethiopians who are in Somaliland illegally. While many Ethiopians reside in Somaliland with refugee cards, visas, or work permits, a significant number enter the region unlawfully each year.
Somaliland authorities have not officially commented on the latest deportation efforts. Many of the migrants belong to Ethiopia’s Oromo ethnic group, working in low-income jobs such as car washing, while others resort to begging.
The Puntland regional state has also intensified its crackdown on undocumented migrants, citing security concerns following reports that some foreigners had joined the ISIS faction operating in the Bari region.
Puntland’s administration has escalated efforts to remove undocumented individuals while conducting military operations against ISIS strongholds in the Al-Miskaat mountains.