TUNIS (Reuters) – The Tunisian coast guard said on Tuesday it had intercepted more than 2,500 migrants and arrested dozens of human traffickers as part of a vast operation carried out over the past weekend in the Sfax region, one of the main departure points for migrants to Europe.
This operation, in which hundreds of members of the security forces as well as anti-terrorist units participated, with the support of aircraft, was ordered by President Kaïs Saïed, who denounced an “unacceptable” influx of migrants.
In a statement, the coast guard said it had arrested 62 “smugglers” and seized dozens of boats.
(Reporting Tarek Amara; French version Jean Terzian)
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