Somaliland to crack down on foreigners

Security forces in Somaliland have arrested dozens foreigners staying illegally in major towns hours after the end of a grace period granted to people staying illegally in the break-away region.

The campaign is part of a crackdown on foreigners launched across Somaliland on the orders of the president Ahmed Silaanyo.

The authorities had given all foreigners living in the region illegally last year an ultimatum to leave before being deported.

Late last year, the authorities repeatedly said there would be no extension and warned that those who were staying illegally would face prosecution even as the region fought to deal with foreigners reaching the region from neighbouring Ethiopia and war torn Yemen.

The new steps to count down movement foreigners will include jail terms and deportation of hundreds of Oromo people who hail from Ethiopia.

According to the police, the majority of those arrested were Oromo Ethiopians.

Hundreds of foreigners who crossed the country’s borders illegally are estimated to be in the Somaliland illegally.