54 people were rescued when on Tuesday, and Wednesday two boats sank off the coast of Tunisia. "Reduce irregular immigration"Tunisian authorities have stepped up arrests of Africans without residency papers in recent weeks after President linked migrants to crimes. We have neither our fathers nor our mothers, if that's the way it is let us go back (to Italy)," an Ivorian migrant says. Tunisians were among the top three nationalities — along with Egyptians and Bangladeshis — to reach Europe last year after crossing from the North African coast. Last January, Italy's top diplomat reiterated to his Tunisian counterpart Roma's objective "to reduce irregular immigration".

Source: The North Africa Journal March 11, 2023 00:40 UTC