Tunisian Authorities abandon 600 migrants in desert following interception at sea

Tunisian forces intercepted 612 sub-Saharan migrants at sea, but instead of providing them with assistance, they abandoned them in the desert at the country’s borders with Algeria and Libya.

The migrants were transported in buses to remote desert areas, including near Chambi National Park, and left with no resources. After several days of walking, some migrants managed to find refuge in the Algerian city of Tébessa, with others reportedly deported to Libya, where they face imprisonment and extortion. This incident is part of a larger pattern of harsh deportations that have intensified since the summer of 2023.

The migrants, many of whom were injured or exhausted, shared harrowing accounts of their mistreatment during the operation. Reports indicate that Tunisian National Guard officers handcuffed some of the migrants, causing further injury, and subjected them to physical violence during transport. Additionally, many of the deported migrants, including women and children, had their personal belongings stripped from them. This form of expulsion, while not new in Tunisia, has garnered attention due to the scale and brutality of this particular operation.

The incident follows a larger trend of expulsion and mistreatment of Black migrants in Tunisia, often with the complicity of European Union policies aimed at curbing irregular migration. Human rights organizations have consistently condemned the actions of Tunisian authorities, accusing them of violating migrant rights and working with the EU to deter migration flows to Europe. The EU has provided financial support to Tunisia, including millions in aid to combat irregular immigration, but these measures have been linked to a surge in deportations and human rights abuses against migrants.