Ethiopia’s Ministry of Women and Social Affairs announced that a group of citizens returned from Saudi Arabia on September 28, 2026, pushing total repatriations past 104,000 under an ongoing government operation launched on September 15, 2025.
Repatriation Numbers and Demographics of the Latest Arrivals
The latest flight carrying returnees landed in Ethiopia with 1,108 men, 163 women, and two children. According to the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, the group also included 49 individuals under the age of 18. Airport authorities and temporary accommodation centers provided immediate assistance to the arrivals before officials initiated family reunification efforts. These repatriation flights target Ethiopian nationals facing difficult circumstances within Saudi Arabia, which hosts a large migrant population from the Horn of Africa.
Saudi Enforcement Crackdown and Illegal Border Crossings
The latest returns coincide with an intensified enforcement drive by Saudi Arabia targeting residency, labor, and border violations. Business Insider Africa reported that Saudi authorities deported 14,905 people following a week-long nationwide crackdown. Ethiopians accounted for the largest share of people caught attempting to enter the kingdom illegally during that operation. Out of 1,450 people arrested while trying to cross the border, 58% were Ethiopian and 41% were Yemeni, with other nationalities making up the remaining 1%. Saudi authorities arrested 44 individuals attempting to leave the kingdom illegally.
Diplomatic Engagement and Royal Amnesty Outcomes
While security forces step up enforcement, diplomatic efforts by Addis Ababa continue to secure relief for citizens facing legal hurdles. Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that 1,971 citizens benefited from a royal amnesty following sustained high-level talks. The Ethiopian embassy in Riyadh and the consulate in Jeddah worked alongside Saudi officials to pursue legal remedies, improve consular access, and seek humanitarian consideration for detained nationals. This combination of mass repatriations, deportations, and diplomatic interventions highlights the ongoing migration challenges between the two nations as workers continue utilizing both regular and irregular routes.
Ethiopian repatriation numbers and demographic details from Saudi Arabia
How many Ethiopians have been repatriated from Saudi Arabia?
More than 104,000 Ethiopians have been repatriated since the current government operation began on September 15, 2025.
Who makes up the demographic of the latest returnees?
The group arriving on September 28, 2026, included 1,108 men, 163 women, two children, and 49 people under the age of 18.
Why are these repatriations taking place?
The repatriation flights target Ethiopian nationals facing difficult circumstances amid a broader Saudi crackdown on residency, labor, and border violations.
How many people were deported in the recent Saudi crackdown reported by Business Insider Africa?
Saudi authorities deported 14,905 people following a week-long nationwide crackdown.
What percentage of illegal border crossers were Ethiopian during the recent arrests?
Of the 1,450 people arrested trying to cross into Saudi Arabia, 58% were Ethiopians and 41% were Yemenis.