18 illegal Somali Immigrants Died at Libyan Border

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http://allafrica.com/stories/200807070525.html

Several Somali nationals were killed in a road accident which took place in the desert area between Sudan and Libya on Wednesday.

The truck which the Somali illegal immigrants were travelling overturned. It was heading for Libya from where the Somali immigrants would proceed to Europe.

The truck departed from Khartoum [the capital of Sudan] last month and the number of people who were on board was over 60.

These Somali nationals came from Mogadishu, other parts of Somalia and also from Kenya, Uganda and South Africa. Eighteen Somalis died, some sustained injuries and others survived.

[Abmn]

AUN.

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The dead were buried in an area between Libya and Sudan.

Libyan forces at the common border with Sudan collected those who sustained injuries using helicopters and took them to a hospital in Kufa Town which is very close to the common border.

Also on Friday 65 Somali prisoner who were among 280 Somali illegal immigrants who were in Libyan jail for the last five months have been released.

The prisoners are said to have been freed after paying 800 dollars per person.

According to Hussein Igal Dhore who among those who paid the money [800 dollars] who was released said that, the money was taken by the Transitional Federal Government [TFG] of Somalia's ambassador to that country Libya.

He added that even though the Libyan government has released the prisoners, the Somali embassy is taking the money from the detainees and as a result those who were unable to pay the 800 dollars are still in custody.

Hussein Igal said after he was released from the prison he was taken to the Somali embassy so that he could pay the money.

"The Libyan government has released us but we are being detained by the ambassador who is asking for 800 dollars per person" He said