Tunisia foils 191 illegal immigration attempts since beginning of 2023

Tunis, Feb 18 Tunisian coast guards have foiled a total of 191 illegal immigration attempts since the beginning of 2023, according to a statement released by the country's Interior Ministry.

"As part of the fight against maritime crime and the protection of human lives, around 5,216 people were rescued, 4,656 of them non-Tunis," Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying.

According to the Ministry, the number of undocumented immigrants who attempted to cross the Mediterranean toward the Italian coast, recorded a significant increase during the period from Feb. 1 to 13, due to the improvement of weather conditions.

"A total of 74 illegal immigration attempts were foiled during this period (from Feb. 1 to 13) and 1,991 people were rescued, including 341 Tunis," said the statement.

Located in the central Mediterranean, Tunisia is one of the most popular transit points for illegal immigration toward Europe.

Although Tunisian authorities have adopted rigorous measures to tackle the problem, illegal immigration attempts from Tunisia to Italy have been on the rise.

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