TUNISI (TUNISIA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Tunisian authorities had foiled 52 irregular immigration attempts to cross the Mediterranean into Europe. The Tunisian Interior Ministry said 1,004 people were arrested during a security operation on Sept. 27-29 in the southern province of Sfax. 216 Tunisians, 667 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, and 73 people from other nationalities were rounded up. Sfax is a main route for illegal migrants to cross from Tunisia into Italy. According to Tunisian authorities, over 37,000 irregular migrants had been arrested in 2022. Meanwhile, the Tunisian President Kais Saied rejected financial support announced by the European Union in September, saying the amount is small and goes against a deal signed three months ago. Saied’s move could undermine the “strategic partnership” from July that includes measures on combating human traffickers and tightening borders, and which came during a sharp increase in boats heading to Europe from the North African nation. The European Commission last month said it would disburse 127 million in aid to Tunisia as part of the deal to fight illegal immigration from Africa to Europe.
– Photo: Agenzia Fotogramma –
(ITALPRESS).
