UNCHR begins voluntary repatriation of Somali refugees

UNHCR on Wednesday began the voluntary repatriation of about 1,000 Somali refugees from Dadaab and Kakuma camps in northern Kenya. The first of the eight UNHCR-chartered flights departed from Dadaab with some 100 refugees returning to the northern Somali sea-port of Bosasso, a statement from the agency said. It said that over the next eight days it will assist the refugees to travel to Bosasso in northeastern Somalia or "Puntland" and to Berbera in "Somaliland". "The returning refugees have each received a repatriation grant which will help them to start life anew in homes they left nearly a decade ago when civil war broke out in Somalia," the statement said. About 140,000 Somali refugees, mainly from southern Somalia, are in camps in Kenya.