The number of undocumented migrants crossing from Tunisia to Europe has dropped sharply from 97,667 in 2023 to 19,245 in 2024, Tunisian private radio station Mosaique FM reported on Wednesday, citing a senior security official.
The radio quoted Khaled Jrad, central director of the General Inspection of the National Guard and head of the Committee for Illegal Immigration, as saying that “this remarkable decrease shows the effectiveness of the measures taken to face the challenges of immigration and strengthen border security”.
In 2024, about 80,000 undocumented migrants will be intercepted at sea, Jrad said. He also estimated that around 20,000 undocumented migrants were concentrated in the El Amra and Jebniana areas of the southeastern province of Sfax, a major departure point for boats heading to Italy. “There are no accurate statistics on their numbers in the rest of the country’s regions,” he added.
Tunisia, located in the central Mediterranean, is a major departure point for migrants and refugees trying to reach Europe. Many attempt to cross the dangerous sea to Italy, particularly the island of Lampedusa.
TunisianMonitorOnline (NejiMed)
