Liberia repatriates 17 nationals from South Africa

Liberia repatriated its first group of nationals from South Africa on Wednesday, bringing home 17 people as anti-immigrant tensions remained high in South Africa, Liberia's foreign ministry said.

The Liberians landed at Roberts International Airport near Monrovia at 2:45 pm local time, which is also GMT, the ministry confirmed. Varlee Sanor, deputy executive director of the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission, said the individuals had voluntarily asked to return.

The commission said on Facebook that the return was coordinated jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It said the group was made up of Liberians it described as the most distressed, who had chosen immediate repatriation because they feared for their lives due to constant xenophobic attacks against foreigners.

South Africa has long been a destination for documented and undocumented African workers. The country has seen weeks of protests and unrest targeting immigrants, who have been accused of taking jobs and resources.

Some African countries have already repatriated large numbers of citizens from South Africa. Malawi said earlier in July that it had brought back 38,000 nationals in one month, while Zimbabwe reported nearly 21,300 citizens returning. Uganda's government said about 1,100 of its nationals had been repatriated, and hundreds of Ghanaians, Nigerians, Mozambicans and Kenyans have also left.