TUNIS: Tunisian police backed by planes and anti-terrorism units apprehended hundreds of migrants and also seized boats on Saturday in a major crackdown on elements smuggling in Sfax region— a main departure point for migrants heading to European countries.
The operation came as the Italian island of Lampedusa struggles with a high number of landings by boat migrants crossing from Africa.
Tunisia Apprehends Migrants, Seizes Boats in Major Crackdown
Local officials and witnesses told the media that security forces of Tunisia raided houses where hundreds of migrants were living and also intercepted trucks carrying migrants toward the sea and seized boats used by the smugglers in the region.
Several suspects were arrested during the major crackdown involving police dogs, planes, military trucks and hundreds of police personnel in the towns of Kerkennah, Jebiniana, Msatria, and Sfax.
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In a statement, Tunisia’s Ministry of Interior said that the country’s top authority ordered the crackdown to prevent the “intolerable influx of migrants,” in the region.
Tunisia is under strong pressure from the European Union and Italy which promised 1 billion euros to help Tunisia’s economy in exchange for stopping the flow of immigrants.
Recently, around 7,000 people arrived from North Africa on ships landed on the island of Lampedusa, prompting appeals for assistance from the mayor of the island.
