Hundreds of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa find themselves in a very precarious situation in this desert area of southern Tunisia, after being driven out in recent days from the city of Sfax.
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The human rights NGO Human Rights Watch (in English) urges, Friday, July 7, Tunisia to put an end to the expulsions of African migrants to a desert area, located near the Libyan border. Hundreds of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa find themselves in a very precarious situation in this desert area of southern Tunisia, after being driven out in recent days from the city of Sfax amid strong tensions with the local population.
A surge of violence fell on Tuesday and Wednesday on these migrants, after one of them killed a resident of the city during a brawl. “Tunisian security forces have collectively expelled several hundred black African migrants and asylum seekers, including children and pregnant women, since July 2, 2023 to a remote and militarized buffer zone on the Tunisia-Libya border. “HRW said in a statement.
The organization calls on the Tunisian government to “urgently allow humanitarian access” to these migrants, who only have “little food and no medical assistance”. According to migrants interviewed by the NGO, “several people died or were killed in the border area between July 2 and July 5 – some of whom were reportedly shot or beaten by the Tunisian army or national guard.” Human Rights Watch, however, states that it is unable to confirm these allegations.