Angola expels 2,884 Congolese

The Angolan government has expelled 2,884 illegal immigrants of Congolese descent.

According to a NAN report, the illegal immigrants were rounded up during a police operation, and brought to the Lunda Norte province of the country between September and October.

The Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul provinces in the north-east boast of extensive diamond reserves, which serves as an attraction to illegal immigrants from DR Congo and Congo Brazzaville.

Natives from these border countries, especially DR Congo, flee from conflicts in search of a better life which they hope to get through diamond exploration and other economic opportunities.

Rodrigues Zeca, Lunda Norte Police chief, spoke on the deportation exercise carried out by the authorities.

“During the police operation, 10,128 other DRC nationals voluntarily left the diamond exploration areas,” he said.

“The police also confiscated from the migrants 80 dredges and 78 pieces of diamond,” Zeca was quoted to have said.

Barely two weeks ago, Angolan authorities deported 432 illegal foreigners from Cabinda Province, with a large number from DR Congo.