The Libyan Interior Ministry announced on Monday, in a statement, that it had recovered five bodies of Sub-Saharan African migrants in a deserted area near the Tunisian border. The Ministry stated that patrols had found the bodies near the border area with Tunisia between the Dhahret al-Khus and Tuilat al-Rutbah.
Dozens of Sub-Saharan Africans found themselves stranded near the Libyan border, claiming that Tunisian authorities transported them to this area from the city of Sfax earlier this month. The Tunisian government then moved them to shelters in two towns, but human rights groups say that dozens remain stuck in extremely difficult conditions, left to thirst and starve in an unprecedented heatwave.
In February, Tunisian President Kais Saied denounced illegal migration from Sub-Saharan Africa to his country, saying it aimed to change the demographic composition of Tunisia. This statement faced backlash from human rights groups, labeling it as racist. The African Union also criticized Tunisia and urged the nation to “avoid racist hate speech.”
Last week, the Libyan Interior Ministry said it had prevented irregular migrants from Tunisia from entering its territory to avoid any security breaches, thus exacerbating the crisis of migrants stranded at the border between Tunisia and Libya. The ministry clarified in a statement that the Border Guard Agency had dispatched desert patrols and established new security posts near the border points along the border strip from Ras Ajdir to Wazen, to prevent any security breaches.
The Libyan authorities have evacuated dozens of migrants found in a desert area near the border with Tunisia amid fears of the presence of other groups stuck on the border between the two countries.
