Swedish authorities have deported 90 Somali nationals to Mogadishu in a joint operation involving people removed from Sweden, Norway and Finland, according to Swedish media reports.
The deportees included 22-year-old twins Najiib and Caalya, who had spoken to the Alkompis news outlet hours before their removal, expressing fears of being separated from their mother and other family members in Sweden.
According to Dagens ETC, the operation was coordinated by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex, with support from Swedish border police.
Those being deported were transferred from a detention facility for people awaiting immigration decisions to Stockholm Arlanda Airport before departure.
Another person aboard the flight was Zakariya, a father of five who had reportedly spent several months in immigration detention.
The deportation took place amid a political debate in Sweden over the removal of young people. Swedish media reported that parliamentary parties had supported a proposal to examine the possibility of suspending deportations involving young people.
However, the Swedish Migration Agency said it was awaiting a formal decision before halting such operations.
Dagens ETC also reported that an earlier attempt to deport the twins had failed after passengers on the aircraft protested against their removal.
The operation highlights the continuing debate in Sweden and across Europe over immigration enforcement, family separation and the treatment of people whose applications to remain in a country have been rejected.
Deportation decisions can have particularly significant consequences for people who have established family and social ties in their host countries.
Sweden and Somalia reached an agreement in 2023 to strengthen cooperation on the return of Somali nationals who are subject to deportation.
Swedish Radio previously reported that the cooperation was linked to Swedish financial assistance to Somalia worth more than 100 million kronor, with the reception of returning Somali citizens forming part of the broader arrangement.
The agreement attracted criticism over concerns about linking development assistance to immigration policy. Questions were also raised about transparency and the safeguards governing the use of the funds.
The latest operation underscores the role of cooperation between European governments and countries of origin in carrying out deportations.
It also renews attention to the legal, humanitarian and political questions surrounding forced returns, particularly when those affected have close family connections in Europe.