Tunisian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have launched a Friday appeal concerning the "catastrophic" situation of migrants from sub-Saharan African countries who have been expelled from the region of Sfax.
The appeal calls for immediate action to provide shelter for these individuals in dedicated facilities.
In response to the appeal, hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets of the capital city, Tunis, on Friday evening, heeding the call of an anti-fascist group to express their solidarity with irregular migrants. Chanting slogans such as "A repressive police state expels you and oppresses us" and "Tunisia is African, no to racism," they demanded an end to fascism.
The expulsions followed clashes on July 3rd, resulting in a Tunisian citizen's death. Authorities subsequently expelled hundreds of migrants from various sub-Saharan African countries who had been residing in Sfax, a central hub for illegal migration. These individuals were relocated to unsafe areas near the borders with Libya and Algeria.
Ramadan Ben Omar, the official spokesperson for the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights, confirmed that between 100 and 150 migrants, including women and children, are still present in border areas near Libya. Additionally, approximately 165 others have been transported from border regions with Algeria, though their current whereabouts have not been disclosed.
Ben Omar expressed concern about the dire conditions faced by the migrants, as they are constantly on the move, hiding in nature out of fear of being detected.