About 200 sub-Saharans expelled from Sfax were taken by the authorities to the Hazoua desert on the border between Algeria and Tunisia, without water or food.
At least two of them are dead and several others are wandering abandoned to their fate according to Human Rights Watch. The NGO calls for an end to deportations, two convoys carrying at least 100 people were seen this week.
Tunisian authorities are being asked to stop arbitrary deportations of black African migrants, but also to allow access and assistance to those at the borders both near Libya and near Algeria. But also to the countries of these nationals to do everything to try to bring them assistance explained Salsabil Chellali, Director of HRW Tunis.
HRW announced Monday evening the shelter of 500 to 700 sub-Saharans who had been abandoned last week in a buffer zone on the border between Tunisia and Libya to at least three Tunisian cities: Ben Guerdane, Tataouine and Medenine. In addition, the NGO indicates that violence has increased in Tunisia since the very controversial exit of President Kais Saied.
“Violence against migrants and expulsions, there have been in the past. But today, we are really at an unprecedented crisis and it goes back to February following the declarations of President Saied..” she adds.
The Tunisian association Beity for assistance to women victims of violence had launched an urgent appeal on Monday to other NGOs and public institutions to coordinate and pool resources in order to provide emergency aid to sub-Saharans deported to the gates of the Sahara.
With Africa news
