TUNIS, Dec 9 (NNN-TAP) – Over the past eleven months, Tunisia has foiled attempts of more than 69,000 illegal immigrants, trying to sneak into Italy from the Tunisian coasts, the country’s private radio station, Shems FM, reported yesterday.
“A total of 55,200 individuals of these illegal immigrants were rescued from sinking boats, 55 percent of whom were from different African countries,” Shems FM quoted Houcemeddine Jbabli, spokesman for the Tunisian National Guard, as saying.
Most of these attempts were thwarted along the coast of Tunisia’s south-eastern province of Sfax.
The coast of Sfax is a major starting point for illegal immigrants, heading for the Italian island of Lampedusa, located only about 80 km away.
Although Tunisian authorities have adopted rigorous measures to tackle the problem, the number of illegal immigrants heading to Italy has been on the rise.– NNN-TAP
