Rescues and Rising Migrant Crossings Near Sfax, Tunisia
In a sequence of operations carried out near the coastal city of Sfax, the Tunisian National Guard reported the rescue of 663 sub-Saharan migrants and the retrieval of five bodies. The incidents, which disrupted as many as 16 attempted sea crossings, underscore the ongoing surge in migrant departures from Sfax, a key departure point for those seeking Europe. The authorities say the activity has intensified in recent days, drawing international attention to Tunisia’s migration controls.
During the operations, two boats were seized along with 15 engines and a large quantity of fuel containers. Tunisian officials also confirmed the detention of a dozen individuals believed to be organizers and intermediaries involved in these migrant departures. The seizure and detentions reflect a broader effort by Tunisian security forces to curb irregular crossings and dismantle networks that facilitate such journeys. (Attribution: National Guard communications)
This latest development adds to an earlier report from Sunday, when authorities intercepted 614 migrants in the same city of Sfax. Sfax has repeatedly witnessed deadly shipwrecks linked to attempts to reach European shores, a circumstance that has spurred the European Union to allocate substantial funding to support Tunisian efforts to manage and monitor migration flows. (Attribution: National Guard and EU mobility programs)
For context, the current year has seen a troubling pattern in the central Mediterranean. In the first months of 2024, at least 367 people, including eight minors, were reported missing or confirmed dead while attempting to reach Europe. By the end of the previous year, the total reached 2,476 fatalities or disappearances in the Mediterranean region, according to figures from the International Organization for Migration. These numbers illustrate the human dimension of migration pressures that Mediterranean border communities confront daily. (Attribution: IOM)