TUNIS, Tunisia

Tunisia said Sunday it had foiled 52 irregular immigration attempts to cross the Mediterranean into Europe.

In a statement, the Tunisian Interior Ministry said 1,004 people were arrested during a security operation on Sept. 27-29 in the southern province of Sfax.

According to the statement, 216 Tunisians, 667 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, and 73 people from other nationalities were rounded up.

Sfax is a main route for illegal migrants to cross from Tunisia into Europe.

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.

According to Tunisian authorities, over 37,000 irregular migrants had been arrested in 2022.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar