The United Nations says Algerian authorities have resumed expelling migrants into the Sahara Desert to die.
A UN official said on Saturday that some 391 people have been left in the desert to die by Algerian authorities.
The migrants are from 16 different countries and were abandoned at the border with Niger.
The head of the UN’s International Organisation for Migration in Niger, Giuseppe Loprete made the revelation in a tweet.
Resumption of expulsion
This year Algeria was accused of abandoning migrants in the Sahara Desert, a development the UN warned could trigger another crisis.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said in May that it has been forced to take in and handle some 10,000 migrants who were left to die in the desert since September.
Many of the migrants were abandoned by traffickers and a significant number deported by Algerian authorities.
These migrants have to endure harsh conditions in the desert hoping to reach the nearest border town. Many who are unable to endure the heat die in the process.
Giuseppe Loprete says “Who said expulsions had stopped?? Unfortunately not yet!” referring to reports that the expulsion has stopped.
391 #migrants abandoned at the border with #Niger and #Algeria now being assisted by @OIM_Niger. 16 different nationalities including 199 from #Guinea #Conakry and others from #Ivorycoast #Senegal #Cameroon. Who said expulsions had stopped?? Unfortunately not yet!
— Giuseppe Loprete (@g_loprete) July 14, 2018
Algeria’s government had said it had no knowledge of the situation after the African Union demanded that Algeria stops abandoning migrants.
Source: Africafeeds.com
