150,000 refugees to be expelled
Niger ordered the expulsion of 150,000 Arab refugees. The refugees, from Chad and other neighboring countries, have lived in Niger for decades.
The Interior Ministry said the drastic measure was taken because many of the refugees are livestock herders whose camels are destroying arid Niger’s fragile ecosystem, particularly water sources in short supply.
Many of the Arabs are nomads who fled conflicts in Chad decades before.
The ministry also alleged that many of the nomads were armed with guns and threatened local inhabitants.
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