Deadly migration route leaves Horn of Africa migrants stranded

Migrants in Djibouti are making the long journey back home after failed attempts to cross the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait to reach Gulf countries, facing hunger, detention and life-threatening conditions. Driven by poverty and conflict in Ethiopia, thousands attempt this perilous route each year, with more than 900 deaths recorded in 2025, making it the deadliest on record.

By FRANCE24