Ankara — The Government of Turkey is reportedly preparing to repatriate a group of Somali nationals who have been held in detention for more than four months, according to multiple sources in Mogadishu and Ankara who spoke to Mustaqbal.

The individuals expected to be returned to Somalia include both male and female detainees, the majority of them young Somalis who travelled to Turkey at different times. Information obtained indicates that they are currently being held in various detention centres across the country.

Sources familiar with the matter state that the detainees initially entered Turkey with the intention of transiting onward to European countries through irregular migration routes. Turkish security authorities reportedly apprehended them in separate operations in different locations before transferring them to designated facilities for screening, verification, and legal processing.

Several of the detainees have communicated with their families, indicating that Turkish officials visited the detention centres and informed them that repatriation procedures were underway. According to those accounts, the return process could be carried out within approximately 72 hours.

Turkey has previously deported Somali nationals under similar circumstances, including individuals whose residence permits had expired and were not renewed, as well as those intercepted while attempting to migrate irregularly to Europe.

As of the time of publication, no formal public statement has been issued by either the Turkish or Somali authorities confirming the timeline or details of the reported repatriations.