Ahmad 
Tunisia’s coast has recently been hit by a new humanitarian tragedy as authorities recovered the bodies of 22 irregular migrants off the coast of the central eastern province of Sfax.
The official spokesman for the Sfax court, Hisham Ben Ayad, explained that these bodies have been discovered in stages in the port of Sidi Youssef (off the coast of Sfax) since last Saturday, and the bodies appear to be Africans from sub-Saharan African countries, and were deposited in the mortuary.
The spokesman said it was not yet known if the bodies were caused by the sinking of one or more boats.
The coast of Sfax is a major departure point for irregular migrants, both from sub-Saharan countries and from Tunisians seeking to reach the Italian coast.
In this context, the coast guard announced the arrest of five people wanted in cases of smuggling migrants and intermediaries in Sfax.
As weather conditions improve, the Mediterranean is witnessing an increase in illegal migration attempts, which often end in drowning accidents and large human losses, and according to the International Organization for Migration, the number of people who died in the Mediterranean during 2023 reached more than 2,498 people, an increase of 75% from 2022.
At the end of a consultative meeting on Monday, the leaders of Tunisia, Algeria and Libya committed to joint action to reduce the risks of illegal migration and unify positions in this regard.
In another incident, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a post on the X website: “Tragedy as a result of the capsizing of a boat off the coast of Djibouti carrying 77 migrants, including children, there are at least 28 missing and 16 dead.”
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