KATHMANDU, Feb 9: Two Nepali asylum seekers have escaped from the detention center of Papua New Guinea on Thursday morning.

According to the Guardian, a British national daily newspaper, two asylum seekers escaped from the Manus Island detention center while the Papua New Gunia police was preparing to deport them.

While the police, accompanied by Wilson Security guards, attempted to take two Nepali asylum seekers for forced deportation at 4 am today, one was taken deportation while the other escaped and is hiding, reported the Guardian.

The security guards are on high alert following a botched attempt to deport the two asylum seekers this morning.

 PNG’s immigration authority had given them “negative” assessments saying that they did not meet the threshold of a “well-founded fear of persecution” required for refugee status.

It is learnt that about 12 Nepalis remain in the detention center. Most of them have been there for more than three years. Five voluntarily returned last week.

 
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