By RFIPosted on 15-01-2020Modified on 15-01-2020 at 22:12

Algeria continues the expulsion of sub-Saharan migrants to the north of Niger, as throughout 2019. After arrests during the past week, a convoy of several hundred people was on its way to the border on Wednesday .

Transmitted on January 13 to officials of 30 regions of the country by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a circular published in the press explains the progress of an operation to expel sub-Saharan migrants towards the border with Niger.

Buses have converged from the northern and central regions of the country to the town of Ghardaïa, 600 kilometers south of Algiers. In the evening of January 13, according to a witness, several dozen buses carrying migrants had arrived in the city. These people were arrested by the security forces in the previous days.

Begging networks

Most are from Niger. Algiers relies on an agreement signed with Niamey in 2014 to repatriate these people, involved in begging networks, which Algeria considers to be criminal networks. However, during the arrests, the police also arrested nationals of other nationalities.

In 2019, evictions took place every month. According to data from the International Organization for Migration, which registers migrants who wish to do so upon arrival in northern Niger, almost 11,000 people were expelled from January to November, including 358 who were not Nigerians.

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