According to local authorities, more than 800 migrants who were forcibly removed from Algeria this week have arrived in Agadez in northern Niger. 40 women and 74 unaccompanied minors are among the 847 people who are currently living in Agadez, according to the municipal government late on Thursday. The minors have been looked after, according to the child protection ministry.
According to a source in the humanitarian sector, Algerian authorities “escorted” “around 800 migrants” to the border at the beginning of the week. According to the source, the migrants—most of whom are from Niger—will receive basic requirements and medical attention.
According to the UN, Algeria has deported tens of thousands of migrants from the west and central Africa since 2014. In an effort to reach the Mediterranean coast and then enter Europe, many travelers choose the perilous journey through the Sahara. In recent years, Algeria has seen a rise in the number of refugees leaving the country, according to the French charity Doctors without Borders.
According to MSF, expulsions were 23,171 in 2020, 27,208 in 2021, and 14,196 from January to May of this year.
