Sixty Somali returnees from Dadaab camp arrive in Kismayo

Sixty Somali returnees from Dadaab refugee camp were on Wednesday flown back to the administrative capital of Jubbaland, Kismayo.

Plane carrying Somali citizen that took off from Dadaab in Northeastern Kenya has touched down at Kismayo Airport.

The voluntary returns came after the Tripartite Commission formed by UNHCR and the Governments of Kenya and Somalia, agreed to step up support for voluntary repatriations of Somali refugees.

Despite continuing security challenges, refugees have started to return to Somalia.

Between December 2014 and early August, 2015, some 2,969 Somali refugees returned to the districts of Luuq, Baidoa and Kismayo, with UNHCR support as part of a pilot phase which has now ended.

Still more have returned spontaneously without receiving assistance from UNHCR.

Under the current agreement assistance will be provided to returnees to any area of Somaliland, Puntland and South Central Somalia.

Dadaab has been providing protection, shelter and humanitarian assistance to Somali refugees for two decades often under difficult and complex circumstances.

Chronic overcrowding, a risk of disease, and seasonal floods are among these challenges facing the refugees.