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NAIROBI. — The UN refugee agency said yesterday it had repatriated some 62 372 Somali refugees from Dadaab camp in northeast Kenya since the return exercise begun in December 2014.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in its bi-weekly update that some 707 refugees were supported to return to their home in Somalia voluntarily in the past 10 days.
According to the UNHCR, some 23 058 refugees out of 62 372 returned in 2017 as the UN refugee agency steps up returns to the Horn of Africa nation.
The UN agency said road convoys to Somalia remained suspended due to the heavy rains in some parts of the Horn of Africa nation.
UNHCR Somalia and its partners are closely monitoring the accessibility of roads in the 12 designated return areas.
However, flights to Mogadishu and Kismayo currently facilitate the voluntary return of those willing to travel by air.
Kenya has been collaborating with the UNHCR to ensure a smooth and voluntary repatriation of over 245 000 refugees living in five camps at the Dadaab refugee camp.
The UN agency has said it expects the majority of the remaining refugee population to return to Somalia throughout 2017 and possibly into early 2018. — Xinhua.
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