TUNIS: A Tunisian charity has launched an urgent appeal for emergency aid to assist African migrants who are stranded in desert areas of southern Tunisia after being forced out of the port city of Sfax. The migrants were driven to the harsh border region between Tunisia and Libya, while others were pushed toward the country’s southern border with Algeria, following racial tensions that escalated into violence against migrants from sub-Saharan African countries last week.
Beity, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that supports victims of gender-based violence and discrimination, called upon aid workers, charities, and public institutions to coordinate efforts and pool resources to provide assistance to the stranded migrants. The NGO highlighted the “real manhunt” that has been taking place in Sfax, denouncing the security threats faced by the migrants and their expulsion and deportation to the Sahara Desert.
The crackdown on migrants in Sfax, a major departure point for individuals attempting to reach European shores, occurred after the funeral of a 41-year-old Tunisian man who was fatally stabbed on July 3 during a confrontation between locals and migrants. The incident led to an increase in racially motivated attacks in Tunisia, with President Kais Saied in February accusing undocumented migrants of bringing violence and suggesting a “criminal plot” to alter the country’s demographic makeup.
Around 450 Migrants Stranded in Buffer Zone Between Tunisia and Libya
According to the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, there are approximately 450 migrants in the militarized buffer zone between Tunisia and Libya, near Ras Jedir. The Tunisian Red Crescent has provided water and food to the stranded migrants in recent days and evacuated the injured. However, witnesses reported that the situation is becoming increasingly challenging for those who have been sent near the Algerian border.
Mamadou, a migrant from Guinea, pleaded for assistance, stating, “Please help us. If you can send the Red Cross here, help us, otherwise we will die.” He described dire conditions with no access to food or water. Witnesses revealed that about 30 migrants have been left to fend for themselves in a desert area near the Algerian village of Douar El Ma, close to the Tunisian border.
Refugees International, an aid group, stated that Tunisian authorities have violently arrested, transported, and expelled hundreds of black migrants and asylum seekers. The organization pointed out that some of the expelled individuals possess legal status in Tunisia and are registered with the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.
