The family visit exchange operation, led by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), between the Tindouf camps in southern Algeria and the Kingdom's Southern provinces, continued on Thursday with the organisation of the 2nd trip for the year 2013, to and from the provinces of Laâyoune and Smara.

This exchange saw the participation of 280 beneficiaries belonging to 40 families, indicates a statement from the Moroccan Coordination Office with MINURSO.

Thus, 18 families totalling 136 people from the provinces of Laâyoune and Smara boarded a UN aircraft on Thursday at Hassan I Airport in Laâyoune, bound for Tindouf, before 22 families totalling 144 people from the same camp disembarked from the same plane, the same source specified.

This exchange took place in good conditions and all arrangements were made to ensure a warm welcome for the participants, the statement emphasises.

With this exchange, the total number of people who have benefited from family visits since the launch of this operation in March 2004 stands at 17,349, including 9,150 people from the Tindouf camps and 8,199 departing from the Southern provinces.