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Workers protest in Kuwait demanding return to Egypt

May 5, 2020 at 12:34 pm

Egyptians amid the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic crisis, in Kuwait City on 6 April 2020 [YASSER AL-ZAYYAT/AFP/Getty Images]

Scores of Egyptian expatriates took to the streets in Kuwait on Sunday after they were not repatriated to their home state.

Security forces used tear gas to disperse the crowds after the Egyptian workers took to the streets, while the Egyptian embassy said it would take serious measures to solve the crisis.

The Ministry of Interior said in a statement that the concerned security services “have dispersed the riots caused by a number of Egyptian nationals in the centres designated for them, in demand of the Egyptian authorities to respond to their request to return to their country.”

“As soon as the riots and chaos occurred, the security officers intervened, controlled the Egyptian nationals, detained a number of them and transferred them to the concerned authorities to take legal measures against them. Representatives from the embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt were present and informed their nationals that the Egyptian embassy will start preparing schedules for return trips and evacuating all violators of residency to their country this week, in accordance with the adopted procedures and protocols for the evacuation process,” added the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior.

The instructions for the security officers “are clear and explicit to deal firmly with the rioters,” Kuwait stressed, noting that “the security services will not allow chaos or violations of the law.”

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