Mogadishu (HOL) — More than 50 Somali citizens imprisoned in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been released following discussions between Somali and Congolese authorities, officials confirmed.

The detainees had been held in various prisons, including the city of Lubumbashi, though dozens of other Somalis remain incarcerated.

Somalia’s Ambassador to Tanzania and the DRC, Ilyas Ali Hassan, said the release came after diplomatic engagement with Congolese leaders.

“All Somalis who were detained in various ways in the Congo DRC, especially in the city of Lubumbashi, have been released, numbering over 50 people, after we discussed with the Congolese government leaders,” Ambassador Hassan stated.

The development comes just a week after Somalia repatriated 173 nationals from prisons in Libya, where they faced harsh conditions and widespread human rights abuses. A plane carrying 151 returnees landed at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport, while another 22 arrived in Hargeisa.

Most of those repatriated from Libya were young Somalis who had endured years of hardship in overcrowded detention centers notorious for torture, neglect, and poor living conditions.

The Somali government says the operations highlight both the dangers faced by irregular migrants and its ongoing efforts to repatriate citizens trapped in cycles of abuse and displacement abroad.