HARGEISA (SD) Today, in an unprecedented move, Somaliland with the help of IOM has started deporting civilians who have been living there for a long time from Hargeisa.

Somaliland’s refugee agency has today deported Oromo families who lived in Somaliland for over 25 years back to Ethiopia, after Somaliland said that they were illegal immigrants.

The cost for the deported 34 people, included elderly mothers, women and children, were provided by the IOM.

The Director of the Department of Refugees and IDPs, Roble Ibrahim Ahmed, thanked the IOM for its role in deporting these refugees, and said more will be returned to their country of Ethiopia.

The Director claimed that these people have voluntarily requested to be returned to their country of Ethiopia, but did not provide details of his claim.

The deportations follow Somaliland’s issuing a 20-day period for illegals to leave its territory, which led to the return of the Oromo refugees to their country of Ethiopia.

Human rights and refugee advocates have yet to commented on this incident and the fact that the UN is funding refugee deportation in Somaliland.