Rejected Somali asylum seeker sets himself on fire

A 24-year-old Somali man doused himself in petrol outside the Larnaca offices of the Aliens and Immigration Service and set fire to himself, resulting in burns on his body.

Police officers at the Larnaca immigration office immediately intervened and extinguished the fire.

The young man was taken to hospital for treatment, but the seriousness of his condition remains unknown.

Reportedly, he was protesting against a decision to deport him back to Somalia after his asylum application was rejected.

According to reports, the 24-year-old had submitted an asylum application in 2021, while some time ago, he reportedly also submitted a request for a voluntary return to his country.

On Wednesday, the man went to the immigration office and expressed his desire to stay before he doused himself with a flammable substance he had with him in a bottle and set himself on fire.