Recent electoral gains by Germany’s far-right party spark concerns among Somali asylum seekers over tougher immigration policies.

Germany’s latest election has dramatically shifted the political landscape, delivering a strong showing for the conservative CDU/CSU and propelling the far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) into a prominent position. This development has instilled fear among migrants, particularly Somali asylum seekers, who now face the prospect of increasingly stringent immigration policies and potential deportations.

The election saw a significant setback for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), which recorded its worst-ever performance, capturing only 14% of the vote. This political upheaval comes amid growing concerns over immigration and the economic challenges confronting Europe’s largest economy.

Ahmed Abdulqadir Ahmed, known as Baaba Jeey

Among the most impacted by these changes are Somali migrants like Ahmed Abdulqadir Ahmed, known as Baaba Jeey. He expressed his disillusionment to the BBC, stating, “I am devastated by this outcome. I am among those in Germany awaiting legal status, and now, I fear what is coming.” Baaba Jeey, who arrived in Germany with hopes of receiving medical care for his disability, now sees these hopes fading rapidly as his asylum application has been rejected, and he has been instructed to leave the country.

The election results have particularly rattled the Somali migrant community, as many fear that AfD’s influence in a potential coalition government could lead to a hardened stance on immigration. This could mean not just stricter criteria for asylum but also an increase in deportations, directly affecting those like Baaba Jeey who are in precarious legal situations.

Baaba Jeey’s journey to Germany was fraught with challenges, spanning six months and several countries. He reflects on the harsh realities of migration, emphasizing the courage, endurance, and patience required to undertake such a journey. Despite his current predicament, he remains hopeful for a change in his situation.

The fears among Somali migrants are not unfounded, as many anticipate that the new government will impose tighter restrictions on immigration. This could potentially limit opportunities for asylum and make it even harder for new arrivals to secure legal status in Germany.

As Germany’s political environment evolves, the uncertainty for thousands of migrants looms large, with many fearing that the changes could have severe repercussions on their lives and futures in Europe.

UN reports gunshot wounds on bodies in Libya’s migrant mass graves as traffickers exploit lawless territory.

Libya’s descent into chaos has reached new depths of horror. The United Nations confirmed that gunshot wounds were found on the bodies of migrants in two newly discovered mass graves. With 19 bodies unearthed in Jakharrah and at least 30 more in Kufra—possibly up to 70—the grim discoveries expose the brutal fate of those seeking refuge through Libya’s deadly migration routes.

Human traffickers, empowered by Libya’s fractured government and warlord-controlled territories, have turned the country into a graveyard for desperate migrants. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has sounded the alarm over systematic violence, forced labor, and executions at the hands of smugglers and militias. Libya’s detention centers, run by armed groups linked to rival governments, have become torture chambers where extortion, sexual abuse, and slavery flourish unchecked.

Despite global outcry, Libya remains a black hole for human rights, with traffickers operating freely across borders. The EU’s anti-migration deals with Libyan authorities have done little to stop the carnage, as thousands remain trapped in brutal captivity. Without urgent international intervention, Libya’s migrant crisis will only deepen, turning the Mediterranean into a watery grave and the Sahara into a mass execution zone.

A desperate voyage turned into a near-death tragedy as 16 Somali migrants were plucked from the Mediterranean by Algeria’s Coast Guard after their vessel drifted helplessly off the coast of Jijel province. The rescue operation, launched in response to distress signals, found the boat stranded 40 nautical miles north of El-Aouana, with its passengers weak, dehydrated, and staring at death.

Among the rescued were two women in critical condition, their bodies ravaged by severe exposure and fatigue. Medical teams at the port of Djen Djen rushed them into emergency care, preventing the growing migrant catastrophe from claiming more lives. Yet, for these survivors, the nightmare is far from over.

The exodus of Somalis into treacherous waters is escalating as economic devastation and conflict rip apart the Horn of Africa. The perilous route through Algeria has become a key corridor for those willing to gamble their lives in pursuit of Europe’s shores. But the Mediterranean is an unforgiving graveyard, where hundreds vanish each year, swallowed by waves or abandoned by ruthless smugglers.

Algeria, already stretched by waves of irregular migration, has ramped up patrols to intercept the relentless tide of desperate travelers. The rescued Somalis will now face health screenings and immigration processing, but their fate remains uncertain. With repatriation talks on the horizon, the question looms—will they be sent back to the very crisis they risked everything to escape?

This is the grim reality of a collapsing region, where fleeing by sea seems less terrifying than staying behind. The Mediterranean migrant crisis is only intensifying, and every rescue mission is just another reminder of the growing desperation pushing people toward a watery grave.

For weeks, Nehima Jamal’s haunting image spread across the internet—her body bound, gagged, and bloodied, a captive of ruthless human traffickers in Libya. The 20-year-old Ethiopian woman, a pawn in a brutal ransom scheme, has now been freed after her family paid a staggering 700,000 Ethiopian Birr ($5,546) to secure her release. But her ordeal has left scars that may never heal, and she has one message for those considering the same path: “Stay home. Libya is hell.”

Jamal left Ethiopia in search of opportunity, lured by the promise of work abroad. Instead, she found a nightmare of torture, death, and human trafficking. After crossing into Libya, she was captured by armed groups in Kufra, a notorious trafficking hub, where she was held in horrific conditions alongside dozens of other migrants—many of whom would never make it out alive.

To force ransom payments, her captors sent graphic videos to her family, showing her bound and beaten. In the background, other captives—starved, terrified, and hopeless—watched in silence. Two Ethiopian men who traveled with her died of thirst in the desert, their bodies left behind in the unforgiving sands.

Despite her release, Jamal’s trauma is far from over. She is physically weak, mentally shattered, and uncertain about her next move. Yet, one thing is clear: she deeply regrets leaving home.

“There’s disease, death, and danger along the way. Many of my friends didn’t survive. It’s better to stay home,” she warns.

Human rights groups continue to sound the alarm over Libya’s role as a graveyard for African migrants, where traffickers reduce lives to bargaining chips and authorities turn a blind eye to the suffering. The international community’s silence fuels a cycle of exploitation, where thousands remain trapped in Libya’s deadly underworld.

Jamal survived. But how many more won’t?

Ethiopian Woman Tortured for Ransom Highlights Libya’s Human Trafficking Crisis

Ethiopian Migrants in Egypt Trapped in a Brutal Cycle of Abuse

Somali Migrants Trapped in Libya, Tortured, Starved, and Left Begging for Repatriation

Libyan Militia Detains 300 Migrants Amid Efforts to Curb Mediterranean Crossings

16 Days of Terror: Somali Migrants’ Harrowing Ordeal at Sea

Seven Days Adrift: The Tragic Journey of Somali Migrants Seeking Hope Across Treacherous Waters

Somali Migrants Confront Debt and Stigma Upon Return: MPI Report

Tragedy at Sea: Nearly 90 Migrants Perish Off Mauritania’s Coast

Border officers that migrants fear – and they are not the Americans

Smuggling Network Exploits Vulnerable Migrants in Risky Route to UK

A human smuggling operation went horribly wrong as nine migrants, including individuals from Somalia and Eritrea, were found trapped in a shipping container at Rosslare Europort, Ireland. They had been inside for four days without food or water, believing they were being smuggled to the United Kingdom. Instead, they ended up in Ireland, abandoned by traffickers.

The group, aged 16 to 27, was rescued after one of them managed to call for help. Two minors required hospitalization, while the others were given medical treatment at the port. Irish authorities have launched an international investigation into the trafficking network that misled them.

Authorities confirmed that the migrants paid over €2,000 each to smugglers who promised them safe passage. Investigators believe they entered the container in Dunkirk, France, where smugglers loaded them onto a cargo truck bound for Ireland. Officials are now tracking the truck driver and the broader smuggling network responsible.

Following their discovery, six of the nine migrants were deported to France. One applied for asylum, and two minors were placed under the care of Ireland’s child protection agency, Tusla.

Rosslare Europort has become a growing entry point for human smuggling. Similar incidents in recent years include seven Eritreans found in March 2024 and 14 Kurdish migrants smuggled in 2023. Many of them remain unaccounted for.

The United Kingdom remains a top destination for asylum seekers, with over 329,000 applications in 2023, making it one of the most sought-after migration destinations globally. The rise in irregular migration has prompted calls for stronger border enforcement and safer migration pathways to prevent future tragedies.

Authorities warn that smuggling networks are exploiting desperate migrants, urging international cooperation to dismantle these criminal operations before more lives are put at risk.

Naima Jamal, held captive in Libya, faces unimaginable abuse as traffickers demand $6,000 for her release.

The case of 20-year-old Naima Jamal, an Ethiopian woman held captive by traffickers in Libya, has cast a harsh spotlight on the ongoing migrant crisis and the pervasive abuse in the region. Jamal, abducted alongside her boyfriend in the southern city of Kufra, has been subjected to months of torture while her captors demand $6,000 from her family—a sum unattainable for her relatives in Ethiopia’s impoverished Oromia region.

Videos sent to her family show the young woman shackled, beaten, and threatened with being auctioned to other trafficking groups if the ransom is not paid. Her plight echoes the experiences of countless refugees who arrive in Libya, seeking a passage to Europe, only to fall victim to brutal trafficking networks.

Libya’s position as a key transit hub for Sub-Saharan migrants has made it a hotspot for abuses. Advocacy groups, including Amnesty International, have documented the systematic exploitation of captives, often involving torture, forced labor, and even death. Mass graves, uncovered with alarming regularity, stand as grim reminders of the fate awaiting those who fail to secure their release.

The complicity of state actors compounds the crisis. The Libyan Coast Guard, funded and trained by the European Union, frequently intercepts refugees and returns them to detention centers where they face further abuse. Kufra, where Jamal is held, is under the control of Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF). While the LAAF occasionally stages publicized “liberations” of captives, these individuals are often transferred to detention centers rife with similar horrors.

The international community bears responsibility, with the EU’s funding of Libyan border programs implicated in perpetuating these abuses. A 2023 UN investigation found that European support had “aided and abetted” crimes against migrants, intensifying the suffering of individuals like Jamal.

As Jamal’s family struggles to save her, her story underscores a broader human tragedy unfolding in Libya. Without decisive action to dismantle trafficking networks and reform international policies enabling abuse, the cycle of violence and exploitation will continue unabated.

New rules focus on Somali nationals with criminal convictions or denied asylum claims, raising concerns over integration and security.

Sweden has announced new immigration measures targeting Somali nationals without citizenship, focusing on those with criminal convictions or denied asylum claims. The policy reflects Sweden’s broader shift toward prioritizing public safety and managing irregular migration within its borders.

The deportation criteria apply to Somali nationals convicted of crimes in Sweden or those whose asylum applications have been denied. Sweden’s Ambassador Joachim Waern highlighted that the measures aim to balance immigration control with public safety while ensuring humane reintegration processes for deportees.

In partnership with Somalia, Sweden plans to monitor the reintegration of deported individuals and address the risks of recruitment by extremist groups. This aligns with Sweden’s commitment to counter-terrorism and broader international security objectives.

The Somali community in Sweden, which numbered approximately 63,853 in 2016 according to Statistics Sweden, is concentrated in urban areas like Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. Many Somali nationals fled to Sweden during the Somali Civil War, with the majority arriving after 2006.

The new policy has raised concerns among Somali community organizations, particularly regarding its social and economic impact. These organizations, often clan-based, play a critical role in supporting integration efforts but face challenges in addressing growing tensions and uncertainties among affected individuals.

Sweden’s actions are part of a wider European effort to manage undocumented migration. Germany recently reached a similar agreement to deport Somali nationals, focusing on those convicted of serious crimes.

At the EU level, stricter visa rules have been introduced for Somali nationals, including higher fees and extended processing times. These measures are designed to encourage cooperation on readmissions while tackling irregular migration patterns across the region.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has endorsed voluntary returns, emphasizing the need for reintegration programs to support deportees in adapting to life in Somalia.

While Sweden emphasizes security and public safety, critics argue that the policy could exacerbate social tensions and hinder integration efforts. Some worry that deportees, particularly those without established networks in Somalia, may face difficulties reintegrating into society.

Additionally, the Somali diaspora fears that the policy may stigmatize their community, many of whom have successfully integrated and contributed to Swedish society.

Sweden’s decision to tighten immigration policies and deport Somali nationals underscores the complexities of balancing public safety with humanitarian considerations. As the policy unfolds, its success will depend on effective collaboration with Somalia and addressing the social and economic challenges it poses for affected individuals and communities.

This shift also signals a broader European recalibration of migration strategies, raising questions about the long-term impact on immigrant communities and international relations.

Surviving hunger, despair, and death, 47 Somali migrants reach Madagascar after a nightmare journey across the Indian Ocean.

The journey of 75 Somali migrants in search of refuge turned into a harrowing ordeal of survival, as they drifted helplessly at sea for 16 days. Their destination, Mayotte, a French territory in the Indian Ocean, symbolized hope. But the migrants’ dreams unraveled into a nightmare of hunger, death, and abandonment.

Setting sail on November 7 from a mothership off the Kenyan coast, the two boats aimed to deliver the passengers to Mayotte. Instead, they were betrayed by their human traffickers. After reaching the island’s coastline on November 11, the smugglers halted the journey, citing fears of gang activity ashore. By the following morning, both boats were adrift, their engines disabled, and the smugglers gone.

Days turned into weeks as the stranded migrants battled hunger and dehydration. Supplies ran out early, forcing the passengers to drink rainwater, consume grass washed aboard by the sea, and catch fish with makeshift tools. Tragically, desperation led some to ingest a mix of milk and urine to feed the youngest survivor, a 2-year-old boy, who ultimately succumbed.

By November 23, the toll of the ordeal became painfully clear. Starvation, dehydration, and exhaustion claimed 28 lives, including women and children. Those who survived faced hallucinations, despair, and near-complete physical collapse before the boats finally drifted to Madagascar’s shores. Fishermen discovered the survivors and provided water, food, and clothing, bringing an end to a journey defined by unimaginable suffering.

The survivors, including Luul Osman Mohamed and 21-year-old Anas Ibrahim Abdi, recount haunting memories of those days adrift. They endured not only the sea’s merciless grip but also the betrayal of smugglers and the silence of the international community. The Somali government eventually intervened, chartering a plane to bring the survivors back to Mogadishu.

This story underscores the desperation driving migration, even amid peril, and the systemic failures that leave vulnerable people at the mercy of human traffickers. For the survivors, the nightmare may be over, but the scars will endure.