Repatriation of 45 Algerian illegal immigrants or “Harragas” from Italy to Algeria.

A total of 45 Algerian illegal immigrants or “Harragas” were transferred on Saturday on board an Italian plane from the city of Milan to the Houari Boumedienne International Airport of Algiers.

• This is the first repatriation operation of the like to be undertaken by the Italian authorities of groups of Algerian “Harragas” who have crossed the Mediterranean Sea on board makeshift boats over the past few months to reach Italian shores, notably the Island of Sardania.
• Most of these illegal immigrants set sail from Algerian eastern shores bound for Italy notably in Annaba, Al Taref, Azzaba and Skikda.
• The age of these 45 repatriated “Harragas” varies between 22 and 35 and 17 of them hail from the eastern province of Annaba.
• These hapless illegal immigrants left Algerian shores on February 13th 2008 before being rounded up on the Italian coast by Italian coast-guards who transferred them immediately to a transit detention centre pending the necessary formalities for their repatriation to Algeria.
• The move is in line with an accord on the illegal immigration issue signed by Algerian President Abdellaziz Bouteflika and the former Italian head of government Romano Prodi on October 17th 2007.