Protests have been staged in the Tunisian governorate of Sfax over a lack of information on migrants who left the country between January 10 and 11 and are still missing.
The family members of 37 young Tunisians who departed from the coast of Sfax on January 10 and are still missing staged a protest on Tuesday (January 30) demanding more information on the whereabouts of their loved ones.
According to local media, demonstrators took to the streets of El Hencha, the youths' native town in the governorate of Sfax, asking authorities to intensify search operations.
Probe opened on the missing migrants
Prosecutors in Sfax have opened an investigation "against anyone involved in the case, for taking part in the organization of illegal migration operations at sea".
Five days after the presumed date of departure, at the families' request, the National Guard announced it had started search operations in the sea area in front of the governorates of Sfax and Mahdia.
However, no further statements have been issued since.
Dozens of arrests after trafficking networks dismantled
The Directorate of the Tunisian National Guard said on Facebook that it dismantled an international network specialized in trafficking migrants in the region of Sfax. The group helped organize the arrival and irregular crossing of foreign citizens from "neighboring countries", according to the post.
The statement said that, "as part of the fight against illegal immigration", intelligence units of the National Guard of Sfax succeeded in "dismantling a network specialized in trafficking people from a neighboring country to Sfax, hosting them throughout the stopovers."
13 foreign citizens were apprehended in Sfax, the statement said.
The operation was followed by another this week which reportedly led to the dismantling of another alleged trafficking network by the National Guard.
Six people from sub-Saharan Africa were arrested on charges of exploiting "illegal migration", authorities said.
The operation allowed security officials to release nine sub-Saharan citizens who were being held in a house in Sfax.
Based on the information available, well-informed sources said the six suspects arrested had allegedly formed a criminal organization specialized in facilitating the entry of foreigners from neighboring countries into Tunisia to then bring them to the Sfax region, a point of departure for crossings to Italy.
The migrants were temporarily hosted in homes like the one stormed by security officials in Sfax before being put in contact with the traffickers in charge of the crossings.