Somalilandpress HARGEISA — The Somaliland government said it was launching efforts to rescue several hundred Somalilanders stranded in Libya on Sunday.
A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the government in collaboration with local and international organizations including International Organization for Migration (IOM) are planning to evacuate citizens from Libya.
They did not provide further details or the exact number of Somalilanders stranded in Libya but sources inside Somaliland believe at least 200 Somalilanders are in Libya.
Ever since anti-government mass protests began in Libya, a number of countries have been scrambling their citizens by air and sea operations.
Many sub-Sahara Africans who became stranded have been mistaken as being mercenaries by rebels and their supporters and as a result came under attack, many were beaten up, detained or killed.
Somaliland is not a recognized state and its resources are very limited but it said it is currently making efforts to repatriate all its citizens from the North African nation.
The statement encouraged Somalilanders in Libya and their relatives to contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the following:
Omar Roble Eidheere: crcidheere@hotmail.com Tel: (2522) 4106861
Fahmi Qasim Mohamed: Fqasim@somalilandforeign.net Tel: (2522) 442492
