Thousands of immigrants have been expelled from Algeria to Niger, leaving them stranded in the desert without shelter, healthcare, or necessities.
According to Doctors Without Borders, of the 4,677 migrants who arrived on foot in Assamaka, a town in northern Niger’s Agadez region, only less than 15% could find shelter or protection.
The organization has called on the Economic Community of West African States to provide immediate protection for these people, who are in extremely dangerous conditions in Asamaca. MSF, which supports the integrated health center in Assamaca, is under extreme pressure as thousands of immigrants seek shelter.
Asamaca’s arid climate, with temperatures reaching 48 degrees Celsius, has led people to take refuge wherever they can find it, including unhealthy areas such as waste areas that can expose them to health risks such as infectious and inflammatory skin diseases.