Tunisia coastguards intercept boats carrying mostly Bangladeshi and Syrian migrants
A Tunisian coastguard operation off the coast of the port town of Sfax intercepted 372 migrants, usually from Bangladesh and Syria, attempting to leave the shores of the North African country in small and unseaworthy boats.
Last Monday, the coastguard used speedboats to intercept the migrant vessels 250km (200 miles) south of the capital Tunis, reports Africa News.
According to reports, the migrants had planned to sail into international waters from where they had hoped to be rescued and taken to Europe.
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During nightfall, when the seas are calm, migrants set off on a perilous journey only to be brought aboard a coastguard cutter and returned to Tunisia, say the officials.
The boat intercepted on Monday mostly carried migrants from sub-Saharan West Africa. However, the majority of the time, they are occupied with citizens from Bangladesh and Syria.
President Kais Saied's ordered a crackdown on sub-Saharan African migrants and lashed out at a perceived plot to erase Tunisia's identity in February has resulted in migrants getting kicked out of their accommodation and losing their jobs. Many spoke of suffering racist abuse in Tunisia.
Most of the migrants are reportedly fleeing war in their countries while others are just hoping to get jobs or join their families in Europe.
In 2023, coastguards have stopped 13,000 people attempting to depart by sea illegally.
Based on previous reports, Most migrants are released as soon as they are brought back to shore, with many hoping to attempt the trip again as soon as possible.
