Libya border guards rescue migrants in desert near Tunisia
Al ‘Assah, Libya (AFP):
Libyan border guards rescued dozens of migrants left in the desert by Tunisian authorities without water and food, an officer said Sunday.
Hundreds of migrants from sub-Saharan African countries were forcibly taken to desert and hostile areas bordering Libya and Algeria after racial unrest in early July in Sfax, Tunisia’s second-largest city.
A media team at the Libyan-Tunisian border saw migrants who were visibly exhausted and dehydrated, sitting or lying on the sand and using shrubs to try and shield themselves from the scorching summer heat that topped 40 degrees Celsius.
The group were in an uninhabited area close to Al-Assah, a town near the Tunisia-Libya border, nearly 150 kilometres west of Tripoli.
“The number of migrants keeps rising every day,” said Mohamad Abou Snenah of the border patrol unit, telling the media they have rescued “50 to 70 migrants”.
“We offer them medical attention, first aid, considering the journey they have made through the desert.”
‘Deported’
In a video posted online, one officer can be heard saying: “Do you see them? It’s sad. They are being expelled from Tunisia to Libya.”
The video also shows a migrant rescued from the border area on Saturday, saying that “Tunisian police deported us to Libya”.
Hundreds of migrants fled or were forced out of Tunisia’s Sfax after racial tensions flared following the July 3 killing of a Tunisian man in an altercation between locals and migrants.
The port of Sfax is a departure point for many migrants from impoverished and violence-torn countries seeking a better life in Europe by making a perilous Mediterranean crossing, often in makeshift boats.
In Libya, human traffickers have long profited from the chaos since the 2011 overthrow of longtime dictator strongman Moamer Kadhafi, and the country has faced accusations of migrant abuse.
Tunisian rights groups said on Friday that between 100 and 150 migrants, including women and children, were still stuck on the border with Libya.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
