On Thursday, the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (TFESR) sounded the alarm over the potential for a diplomatic crisis with Libya, due to the forced transfer of hundreds of African migrants towards the Ras Jedir border crossing.
The TFESR stated that these migrants are currently situated within the demilitarized zone in the country’s south, a situation that may provoke diplomatic tensions with Libya.
The Tunisian Human Rights League in Sfax has also revealed plans to establish a detention center for these migrants. The League expects the center to be situated in the Shusha Refugee Camp, located in the border city of Ben Guerdane, adjacent to Libya.
Notably, over 400 sub-Saharan migrants and asylum seekers were forcibly expelled to the borders with Libya, a Tunisian rights group and a lawmaker said on Wednesday.
Disturbances between migrants and residents went on for a week in Sfax, with one Tunisian killed, police said. Residents complained of disorderly behaviour by migrants, while migrants complained of racist harassment.
Thousands of undocumented African migrants have flocked to Sfax in recent months. This is to set off for Europe in boats, amounting to an unprecedented migration crisis for the North African country.
Ramadan Ben Omar, at the TFESR, told Reuters that police had sent back hundreds of migrants, including women and children this week. They were left in a closed military zone, along the desert border with Libya.
Moez Barakallah, a lawmaker from Sfax, said authorities had provided the migrants with meals and medicine and had sent about 1,200 of them to areas near the Libyan and Algerian borders. He said border security officers had taken charge of the migrants, and would decide on further steps.
Presently, an estimated 400-500 sub-Saharan migrants are stranded in the area. Those who managed to keep their phones safe are struggling to continue documenting their tragedy, as they have no access to electricity or free internet.
Human rights activists say they are still waiting on authorization to access the zone.
On Tuesday, President Kais Siaed held a telephone call with Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba, in which they discussed “the phenomenon of irregular migration and the need for concerted efforts to find quick solutions.”
Both states have yet to issue an official statement about the situation.
