Luanda — At least 60 Somali asylum-seekers, mostly youngsters were taken into custody by Angolan police forces in the past few days, witnesses said.

Specific number of Somali immigrants in Angola, confirmed to Shabelle Media station in Mogadishu by phone that the police carried out widespread operations in several locations, targeting Somali asylum-seekers.

Sources said the police released some Somali detainees from the detention centers after taking a ransom.

"We witnessed a panic and hardships from the police forces of Angola in the recent weeks, because of they are targeting only Somali asylum-seekers living here in a bid to earn or take an illegal ransom from the jailed Somali national," a Somali national living in Angola complained.

Meanwhile, Somali immigrants in Angola have asked Somali government to turn its attention to the Somali nationals jailed in the foreign countries who are currently in dire need of help for their save release.

The Angolan government has yet to release any statement on the illegal mass arrest of the police against Somali nationals living across the country.