Tunisia arrests 57 irregular migrants

Tunisian authorities on Monday arrested 57 irregular migrants while trying to illegally cross the country's border into Europe.

National Guard spokesman Hosam Eddin Al-Jababli said two illegal immigration attempts were thwarted in the coastal regions of Nabeul and Monastir, with 43 Tunisians arrested.

Fourteen people were also detained while preparing to carry out an illegal immigration attempt in Sousse and Sfax in eastern and southern Tunisia, he added.

Legal measures were taken against the detainees, the spokesman said.

For years, North African countries such as Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, and Morocco have witnessed attempts by migrants-mainly from sub-Saharan Africa-to reach Europe, hoping for a better life.

According to Tunisian authorities, over 20,000 irregular migrants had been arrested in 2021.