Tunisia: 800 migrants intercepted overnight

A member of the Tunisian National Guard controls a fishing boat off the Tunisian coast (illustrative image).

FETHI BELAID / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

Clandestine departures to Europe continue despite the tragedy of Zarzis which killed 18 people in a shipwreck at the end of September and whose bodies were only found a few days ago, provoking the anger of the families.

During the night of Wednesday to Thursday October 20, more than 800 migrants, including dozens of Tunisians, were intercepted by the maritime guard as they tried to reach the Italian coast.

Half of the migrants intercepted are from sub-Saharan Africa. 

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With our correspondent in Tunis

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Irregular migration continues to make headlines in Tunisian news.

The massive departures this week thanks to the good weather were also punctuated by arrests.

According to the authorities, 1,300 smugglers have been arrested in recent days, as well as 48 people linked to these illegal border crossing operations.

Among Tunisians, there are many cases of families who even leave with their children.

This week, a story hit the headlines.

A 4-year-old girl ended up in Lampedusa after crossing the Mediterranean clandestinely with others.

Her parents in a fit of panic were unable to board the boat and were later arrested by the police.

They had paid the equivalent of 7,500 euros for the crossing.

Both Tunisians and Sub-Saharans are fleeing a deteriorating economic situation, but many also say they have no visibility on the future in Tunisia, due to an uncertain socio-political context.

According to figures from the European agency Frontex, more than 42,500 migrants from January to July took the Mediterranean route, an increase of 44% compared to the same period last year. 

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• Tunisia

• Immigration