Ethiopia on Tuesday airlifted 1, 171 of its citizens from Saudi Arabia making the total number of returnees from the gulf nation since November 21, 2022 to exceed the 30,000 mark.The authorities began the second of the reparations operation with a plan to airlift at least 30,000 citizens who were detained under harsh conditions in Saudi Arabia. 

They have managed to achieve this after three planes flew into Addis Ababa aboard 1, 171 citizens.

 Since November 21, a total of 30, 065 Ethiopians have been repatriated, the a statement by the Women and Social affairs ministry said.

  83 of the returnees are children and minors under the age of eighteen.

 A committee of 16 government offices is leading the repatriation exercise with the task of providing, rehabilitating, and reintegrating the returnees with their families.

 The operation was first launched on March 30, 2022, to bring a total of 102, 000 Ethiopians back from Saudi Arabia within 11 months. 

The first round which lasted until August 29 helped 71,779 citizens return to their country.