ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopia Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) announced on Wednesday it has repatriated 65 nationals detained in Tanzania over allegations of illegal entry.
In a press statement, MoFA said the 65 Ethiopians were released after discussions between the Ethiopian and Tanzanian governments to return all Ethiopians detained in Tanzania for alleged illegal entry.
Negotiations are still underway to secure the release of another 166 Ethiopians detained in Tanzania.
MoFA said The 65 Ethiopians were repatriated back to home through the joint efforts of the ministry, Ethiopia's flag carrier Ethiopian Airlines and the International Organization for Migration.
Every year hundreds of Ethiopians are detained in Tanzania while trying to use Tanzania as a transit point on their final destination, South Africa.
Human traffickers reportedly use various countries as transit points to smuggle Ethiopians to South Africa.
According to the Ethiopia Ministry of Foreign Affairs, human traffickers charge an average of 3,500 to 4,000 U.S. dollars to smuggle a single individual from Ethiopia to South Africa.
