Tunisia detains irregular migrants accused of planning attacks on police
Tires are set aflame by demonstrators during a protest in Mezzouna some 70 kilometres from Sidi Bouzid in central Tunisia on April 17, 2025. (AFP Photo)
Tunisian authorities have detained hundreds of irregular migrants in the city of Sfax who allegedly planned to attack security forces with sharp objects and other weapons, a government official announced.
Houssemeddine El-Jebabli, spokesman for the National Guard General Directorate under the Interior Ministry, said during a press conference that the migrants were found carrying “cutting tools and hard objects” intended for use of security personnel.
“The situation in the El-Amira region of Sfax is under the control of security forces,” El-Jebabli stated. “There will be no return to chaos or the construction of unofficial camps.”
The spokesman added that authorities maintain control over various camps recently evacuated in the area, which had housed more than 7,000 migrants from sub-Saharan African countries. The Interior Ministry announced on April 5 that it had begun clearing these encampments in the southern city of Sfax.
Authorities estimate 20,000 irregular migrants in Sfax region alone
According to Khaled Jerad, head of Tunisia’s Irregular Migration Committee, approximately 20,000 irregular migrants were estimated to be in the El-Amira and Jibniana regions of Sfax as of January 2025. No precise official statistics exist for the number of irregular migrants elsewhere in the country.
Thousands of African migrants arrive in Tunisia yearly, hoping to reach Europe across the Mediterranean Sea for better living conditions. Tunisia shares borders with Libya and Algeria, making it a key transit country.
Tunisian officials frequently announce interceptions of irregular migration attempts to European shores.
In September 2023, the European Commission announced the allocation of 127 million euros in aid to Tunisia as part of a memorandum of understanding signed between Tunisia and the European Union, partially aimed at reducing the flow of irregular migrants.
