Tunisian officials have dismantled temporary camps that were sheltering 7,000 sub-Saharan African migrants and have initiated the forced deportation of some individuals, according to a senior official’s statement to Reuters on Saturday, as the nation faces an unprecedented migrant crisis.
Houssem Eddine Jebabli, a representative of the National Guard, informed Reuters that several migrants were arrested for violent behavior during the ongoing operation. He noted that the forced repatriation commenced on Friday night, with authorities also aiming to facilitate the voluntary return of thousands more.
While he indicated that the number of those forcibly deported was considerable, he did not provide specific figures. Additionally, bladed weapons, including knives and swords, were confiscated during the operation.
The Tunisian government reported that approximately 20,000 migrants are living in tents in forests located in southern towns like Amra and Jbeniana, following restrictions that have prevented them from crossing the Mediterranean.
There have been frequent confrontations between migrants and local residents, who are advocating for their removal from the area.
Local human rights organizations have criticized the government, accusing it of promoting racist rhetoric and inciting hostility against migrants, as well as condemning a crackdown that has resulted in the imprisonment of activists supporting African migrants.
In 2023, President Kais Saied described the influx of thousands of illegal migrants from sub-Saharan African nations as a “conspiracy to alter the country’s demographic composition.”
This statement led the African Union to denounce what it termed Tunisia’s “hate speech” against migrants, a claim that Saied has dismissed as unjust.
In recent months, Tunisia has received commendations from Italian authorities for its efforts to reduce the number of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa attempting to reach Europe by boat.
